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Sesquipedalian101 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Relative Pronouns: That/Which (British & American English)
1. These are the books which you sent to me.
2. These are the books that you sent to me.
Am I right to say that "which/that you sent to me" is a restrictive (=defining) relative clause? Is it also true that In British English, both relative pronouns ("which", "that") can be interchangeably used in such sentence structures; but in formal American English only 'that" is preferred?
Can I say that, because it is a restrictive clause, I cannot insert a comma before "which"?
1. These are the books, which you send to me.
2. These are the books that you sent to me.
Am I right to say that "which/that you sent to me" is a restrictive (=defining) relative clause? Is it also true that In British English, both relative pronouns ("which", "that") can be interchangeably used in such sentence structures; but in formal American English only 'that" is preferred?
Can I say that, because it is a restrictive clause, I cannot insert a comma before "which"?
1. These are the books, which you send to me.
Top answer
1. These are the books which you sent to me. 2.
- 1.
- These are the books which you sent to me.
- 2.
- These are the books that you sent to me.
- Am I right to say that "which/that you sent to me" is a restrictive (=defining) relative clause?
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3 Answers
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1. These are the books which you sent to me.
2. These are the books that you sent to me.
Am I right to say that "which/that you sent to me" is a restrictive (=defining) relative clause? Yes. Is it also true that In British English, both relative pronoun
2. These are the books that you sent to me.
Am I right to say that "which/that you sent to me" is a restrictive (=defining) relative clause? Yes. Is it also true that In British English, both relative pronoun
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I'm in the group of people who definitely prefer "that" in the restrictive use. That said, I entirely agree with CJ that it's the comma that realy defines whether it's restrictive or non-restrictive.
We stayed at the Days Inn, which is on Connecticutt Avenue. (Additional information about the Days Inn.)
We stayed at the Days Inn that is on Connecticutt Avenue. (There is more than
We stayed at the Days Inn, which is on Connecticutt Avenue. (Additional information about the Days Inn.)
We stayed at the Days Inn that is on Connecticutt Avenue. (There is more than
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