Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ragandbone
I find that I am never sure whether to use "which" or "that" and no amount of study in my style and grammar books has ever cemented the rule. I believe I used to understand when to use each, but now the neural connection is broken. It is like the block I have with the spelling of occasion, a word I missed in the county finals of my 8th grade spelling bee. I will never be sure of the spelling of that word.
|
I think "that" and "which," at this point, are acceptably interchangeable in most cases. There is a distinction, but I think even grammar books these days recognize that it's not really worth making.
"That" is actually a fairly tricky word. There are four uses of it:
1) as a noun/pronoun. "That is one of my favorite songs."
2) as a determiner. "That pie is tastier than the others."
3) as a conjunction. "I think even most grammar books these days recognize that it's not really worth making."
4) as a relative pronoun. "I used to put up with her attitude, but telling me I look fat was the straw that broke the camel's back." (This is the one that is sometimes interchangeable with "which.")
I think the general rule for that/which is that if the clause is absolutely necessary for the sentence to make sense, use "that."
"Dogs that bite are dangerous." If you take out the clause "that bite," the sentence doesn't mean the same thing anymore: "Dogs are dangerous." So you use "that."
"The article, which talks about the dangers of owning large dogs, was printed in Sunday's paper." This sentence still makes sense and means the same thing if you take out the clause: "The article was printed in Sunday's paper." So you use "which," and you also usually separate the clause with commas.
I think that's the rule, anyway.