When to use "which" instead of "that"?
8 answers from our tutors
The choice between which and that depends on whether you are introducing a restrictive clause or a non-restrictive clause. here are some guidelines on how to use which and that: • A restrictive clause is a part of a sentence that provides essential information about the noun it modifies. It cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. A restrictive clause is usually introduced by that and does not have commas around it. For example: The book that I borrowed from you was very interesting. (that I borrowed from you is a restrictive clause that identifies which book I am talking about) A non-restrictive clause is a part of a sentence that provides additional information about the noun it modifies. It can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. A non-restrictive clause is usually introduced by which and has commas around it. For example: The book, which I borrowed from you, was very interesting.
Use which in non-defining relative clauses!
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Which is used for nonliving things while that can be used for both.
When using a relative clause to modify a noun which is already known, you use "which". So we use "which" with proper nouns and famous things. For example: Lord of the Rings, which is a very famous movie, is based on a famous novel. On the other hand, when you identify something that is not very well known, you, you can use both; "that" and "which". For example: The building which was damaged by the earthquake has been evacuated. Or The building that was damaged by the earthquake has been evacuated.
Which one should I take, this or that?
Use 'that' when specifying which one of several similar things you are talking about. Use 'which' when providing extra information about a noun. Use a comma before which, but do not use a comma before that.
When we have a choice to make between a few things, we use which. For example, "I have 4 videogames. Which of them do you want to play?" "That" is a response to the above question. It is a specific choice. For example, "I want to play that game over there." I hope this helps. Regards, Micah
“Which” is used for non-restrictive phrases/ Non-defining clause and “that” is used for restrictive phrases/defining clauses.
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