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Jisu98 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

whichever? whatever?

I think a relative pronoun 'which' is different from 'what'. Since 'what' includes the antecedent but 'which' does not. Therefore, in an example;

EX: 'Add garlic to what you're making.' is OK, but,

'Add garlic to which you're making.' is not good.

Then, my question is, what about 'whichever' and 'whatever'?

For the above example, both look OK. That is,

EX: 'Add garlic to whatever you're making.' --(A) looks good

and 'Add garlic to whichever you're making.' ---(B) also looks good.

What is grammar? Both (A) and (B) are OK. Or just (A) is correct. If (A) only is correct, why is that?

Help me please, and thank you!
  

Top answer

Both (A) and (B) are OK. what, whatever, which, whichever do not form symmetric patterns of usage! Add garlic to the ['thing' / recipe / dish] (that) you're making.

— CalifJim

  • Both (A) and (B) are OK.
  • what, whatever, which, whichever do not form symmetric patterns of usage!
  • Add garlic to the ['thing' / recipe / dish] (that) you're making.
  • Add garlic to whatever (['thing' / recipe / dish] (that) ) you're making.
  • Add garlic to what you're making.
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2 Answers
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Both (A) and (B) are OK.

what, whatever, which, whichever do not form symmetric patterns of usage!

Add garlic to the ['thing' / recipe / dish] (that) you're making.
Add garlic to whatever (['thing' / recipe / dish] (that) ) you're making.
Add garlic to what you're making.

Add garlic to the one {of some set of possibilities}(that) you
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