Unlike nonrestrictive clauses, restrictive clauses are not offset by commas. When you use which with a nonrestrictive clause, it’s always offset from the rest of the sentence with commas. Which introduces nonrestrictive clauses, which add nonessential information.
In this type of clause, the relative pronouns which or that are substituted for the subject or object in the sentence. The which vs. that usage dilemma pops up when working with dependent clauses—also known as subordinate clauses—that require one of these two relative pronouns. That book.The word which introduces a nonrestrictive clause. The commas show that this is a nonrestrictive clause.
The most important of these rules is to determine whether they are part of a restrictive or nonrestrictive clause. We do the same thing with the relative pronouns “which” and “that.” They are used to represent nouns that have already been identified, just as we did in the examples above. 3) Used as a relative pronoun to connect a dependent clause to an independent one.
A restrictive clause is a clause that modifies a noun, and by extension its sentence, in an essential way. Relative pronouns are words that replace their antecedent—i.e., a noun—and that connect clauses within a sentence. When it reappeared, that was used for nonrestrictive clauses much less frequently than it had previously been (although some writers, such as Thackeray and Tennyson, still used it in this way quite often). If you are not a copy editor, or someone who is deeply interested in grammar, you may have forgotten what restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses are.
Grammar & Usage
First, the proper use of “that” and “which” enables your reader to understand precisely what you are saying. One such fine point is when to use the word “that” and when to use the word “which.” When it comes to writing, the little things can make a big difference.
- As a determiner, which can be used as a question word that functions like “what” when referring to either an explicit or implicit list of items, whichever, or to refer to an item that was previously mentioned.
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- If you’re ever unsure of which is correct in a sentence, Grammarly can help by providing suggestions and catching mistakes in your writing.
- Notice how in these sentences, that narrows down information or specifies meaning.
- Nonrestrictive clauses aren’t usually set off by commas.
- Pronouns help us avoid the cumbersome repetition of words.
Grammatical essentials on “which” and “that”
A restrictive clause is essential to a sentence’s meaning. Here are a few examples of nonrestrictive clauses that use which. A nonrestrictive clause is a clause that modifies a noun in a nonessential way.
“Which” vs. “That” in clauses
In some cases, a clause can be a sentence on its own, or capable of standing on its own. A clause is a unit of a sentence that contains a subject and a predicate. Before we go any further, let’s define clauses.
Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses
Once again, this sentence indicates there are multiple chairs in the kitchen, making it important to include a restrictive clause. A restrictive clause Sales, General, And Administrative Vs Cost Of Goods Sold means that the information in the clause is necessary to understand the preceding noun. Enhance your writing by mastering different types of clauses. In the indefinite position, which can apply to either a single word or the entire meaning of the sentence. Both which and that can function as relative pronouns.
If so, place the commas in the correct locations in the sentence. Then determine whether the sentence should contain commas. If you need the information in the parentheses, you have an essential clause that requires that.
It appears in text so often in so many ways that readers see it and may assume it is an unnecessary or even a “filler” word. The writer may replace the first that with which (“…article which says that…”), allowing for better sentence flow. For example, a sentence beginning “I read a magazine article that says that…” is correct but clunky.
Grammar Articles
2.Use “which” for extra info (and definitely use commas). “Which were on the counter” adds some context, but it’s not essential. The clause tells us exactly which keys are missing, and again, no commas here. If the information is just something extra, then use “which” with commas. It’s nice to know when the book was borrowed, but it’s not necessary to the sentence’s main point. Well, Without it, the sentence wouldn’t make sense or the meaning would change.
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- You cannot remove that clause without changing the meaning of the sentence.
- These reasons also explain why “which” is deliberately used to introduce a relative clause without a pre-comma.
- Despite their frequency, you might not have thought much about the difference between which and that.
- These clauses are set off by commas because they’re just extra information that doesn’t change the core meaning of the sentence.
At least in American English, the grammatical convention is to use the relative pronoun “that” in introducing a defining clause. And, “which” may also be used as a relative pronoun to refer back to an antecedent, a noun that precedes a relative clause. To understand the holistic meaning of sentences containing “which” and “that,” it is essential that we also know their individual differences and senses. Notice too that restrictive clauses are not delimited with commas, parentheses, or a dash.
Discover the meaning behind St. Lucia, Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Hogmanay, and why we all crave light in the dark. Explore the diligent power of “leaving no stone unturned,” ponder the ripples of changing past habits, unleash your inner child imagining a world run by kids, find hope in the delicate word “glimmer,” marvel at the brain’s communication network via synapses, and delve into the enduring mystery of the lost Knights Templar treasure. If you want me to answer more of your questions, send them to For example, “The book, which I borrowed from you, is amazing.” Here, the commas are your way of saying, “This is just a fun fact! “Which,” on the other hand, is for non-essential info—the extra spice. It’s like saying, “You need this to understand what’s going on.” For example, “The book that I borrowed from you is amazing.” If you don’t know which book, the sentence doesn’t make sense.
In the sentence above, the clause “that lives in 405-B” is essential to specify the antecedent which is “the man.” Since the clause is essential, then it means removing it would cause damage to the whole unit of meaning conveyed by the writer. The determiner “that” works as an adjective when it predetermines a noun, and thus, it can be found before a noun when used in a sentence. As a demonstrative pronoun, “that” is used to refer to any singular entity that is far or distant from the reference point of the speaker or writer.
Then the rules on restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses came along. These essential words link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence to show location. A defining how to create financial projections for your business plan clause is also known as a restrictive clause, and it bears some information that is “essential” to the entire sentence.
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