Grammarly and Ginger are two popular writing tools that can help you improve your grammar. Both have their own unique set of features.
Which and that are relative pronouns that can trip up writers. When using these words, it’s important to know whether the clause they introduce is restrictive or nonrestrictive.
What is the difference between that and which?
When using relative pronouns such as that and which, it’s important to know which one is the correct choice. According to standard English grammar rules, that should be used when introducing restrictive or essential clauses while which is used to introduce nonrestrictive or non-essential clauses.
A good rule of thumb to remember is that if the clause can be taken out without changing the meaning of the sentence, it’s non-restrictive and should be set off by commas. For example, the sentence “My bike that has a broken seat is in the garage.”
Grammarly checks for a variety of common mistakes such as misplaced modifiers and incorrect punctuation. Check out this free grammar checker to see how it can improve your writing! You can also get a Grammarly extension to make sure your writing is flawless across webmail, social media, texting apps and Microsoft Office applications. It’s the best way to ensure your writing is clear and concise.
Which is a restrictive clause
It is important for writers to know the difference between that and which. Both words are commonly used, but they have different meanings. Knowing when to use each word can help you write clear and concise sentences.
That and which are both used to introduce clauses in a sentence. However, that is typically used for restrictive clauses while which is used for nonrestrictive clauses. The following examples show how these differences work.
When using the relative pronouns who, which, and whose, it is important to remember that the type of clause that is being used determines which should be used. Also, remember that a comma is needed before a nonrestrictive clause, while no comma is required before a restrictive clause. By following these rules, you can avoid grammatical errors and create well-written sentences. Grammarly can help you with these and many other grammar rules, so make sure to sign up for a free account today!
Which is a nonrestrictive clause
A nonrestrictive clause offers extra information but isn’t essential to the identity of the antecedent. You should use which when a relative clause isn’t necessary to the sentence’s overall meaning, and you should offset it with commas.
For example, if Stacy’s truck is painted red, it’s not essential to the identity of the truck because there are other ways to identify it. However, if the antecedent is the gym, you should use which because the information that the truck is painted red would be helpful to the reader.
It’s easy to get confused by these rules, but a little practice will help you master them. Once you know the difference between which and that, it’ll be a lot easier to identify the appropriate clause in a sentence and use proper punctuation. You can also check out our guides on the Oxford comma and who vs. whom to learn more about grammar rules that might trip you up.
Which is a defining clause
A defining relative clause is always essential and introduces the subject of the sentence. It begins with a relative pronoun such as who, whom, or which, but unlike non-defining relative clauses it is not set off by commas. Sally chose the dress that she liked best.
Defining relative clauses are often difficult to understand and are not used as often in writing. However, they can add a lot of information to a sentence. They should be used sparingly and only when they will help convey the correct meaning of a word or sentence. Defining relative clauses are also called restrictive clauses because they restrict the word they modify to a certain meaning. They can be used in conversational English where it is more common to use who or which, but should only be used in formal written English where commas are needed to separate the defining relative clause from the rest of the sentence. Defining relative clauses can define nouns, verbs, and adjectives.