Which vs that comma

If it is not surrounded by commas, then it is most likely a restrictive clause, and you can choose to give it a that or a which. If anyone questions your decision, you can say that you are following the advice of the Fowlers, and are making a decision based on custom, euphony, and convenience.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Usage Notes 'That' vs. What to Know In today's usage which and that are both used to introduce restrictive clauses, those which cannot be removed from the context of the sentence, and which is also used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses, those which provide additional information but can be removed without the sentence falling apart.

More Words At Play. Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week - Oct. Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week - Nov. Time Traveler. Love words? Need even more definitions? Ask the Editors 'Everyday' vs. Have you Read? Related Posts. Relax—our ESL editing and proofreading experts are here to help explain this troublesome part of speech. Using Commas In our earlier article we learned that commas remove ambiguity and ensure that the reader understands the meaning the author wants to convey.

Let's continue looking at some additional grammatical constructions that call for comma usage. What is a Comma? The comma is the most important punctuation mark for ensuring clarity in a sentence, but it is often incorrectly used. Follow our helpful comma rules to ensure you are using commas correctly. Start by telling us who you are. English as a Second Language English is not my first language.

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Take a look at these practice sentences below and see whether they need that or which. This means the clause is non-restrictive. The third sentence is a trick! If there are multiple gyms five minutes from your house, you would use that to specify the one with the racquetball courts.

However, if there is only one gym five minutes from your house, the clause is non-restrictive, and you would use which. Note: Closed-captioning and a full transcript are available for this vidcast.

General Writing Grammar. That vs. Which One of the more challenging grammar concepts in the English language is the difference between the words that and which. Using That Whether to use that and which depends on whether the clause it introduces is restrictive or non-restrictive. Which is only used in restrictive clauses if it is preceded by a preposition.

However, the above distinction is a rule of formal American English, and is not as strictly observed in British English or in informal English of any type. Feedback Tired of Typos? Word of the Day. Meanings Meanings. How do you use that? Examples of that in use In the following sentences, the precise meaning is altered if each restrictive clause is removed: The song that you performed right before intermission is my favorite. I think I finally caught a glimpse of the bird that is building a nest in the window.

Do you remember the name of the book that Carla recommended to us?