English Grammar - When to use THAT and when to use WHICH

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What We Will Cover In This Article:

When to use THAT and when to use WHICH in English Grammar

• Restrictive Clauses

• Non-Restrictive Clauses

• Quiz

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English Grammar - When to use THAT and when to use WHICH 

The difference between THAT and WHICH in English grammar primarily revolves around the type of clause they introduce. The choice here is between a restrictive clause, which provides essential information to the audience, or a non-restrictive clause, which provides non-essential information to the audience. 

Use THAT With Restrictive Clauses (Essential Information) for Proper English Grammar

Example 1: Jimmy’s cat that has brown fur was a present from his cousin. 

Explanation: The use of that in this sentence tells the audience that Jimmy has multiple cats. Therefore, a restrictive clause is used to provide the necessary information to know the correct cat the sentence is discussing.   

Example 2: Desktop PCs that are used for gaming purposes are usually much more expensive.

Explanation: Here, because not all desktop PCs are used for gaming purposes, we use that to indicate that we are talking about a specific type of desktop PC. 

Use WHICH With Non-Restrictive Clauses (Non-Essential Information) for Proper English Grammar

Example 1: Sarah’s car, which is painted bright green, has a long scratch along its side. 

Explanation: Here, the use of a non-restrictive clause lets the audience know that Sarah only has one car and that the fact it is painted bright green is just additional information not necessary for the sentence to mean the same thing. Therefore, commas and the word which is used. 

Example 2: The average human brain, which contains around 90 billion neurons, weighs approximately 1,300 grams. 

Explanation: In this sentence, two facts are being presented about the average human brain. There is no relationship between the two facts. If the clause, “which contains around 90 billion neurons,” were to be removed, the main clause of the sentence, “The average human brain weighs approximately 1,300 grams,” would have exactly the same meaning.  

Key Takeaway From Today’s Lesson:

• Use THAT to introduce restrictive clauses.

• Use WHICH to introduce non-restrictive clauses.

Quiz - When to use THAT and when to use WHICH in English Grammar

Written by Ben Betterby:

• IELTS Writing Specialist

• HipHipAcademy.com Co-Founder

• Helping students achieve their learning goals for over 15 years

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