That vs. which: Difference between revisions
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{{a|plainenglish|}}{{d|That|/ðət/|Conj}} | {{a|plainenglish|}}{{d|That|/ðət/|Conj}}<br> | ||
{{d|Which|/wɪʧ/|conj|}} | {{d|Which|/wɪʧ/|conj|}}<br> | ||
'''[[That]]''' is a [[conjunction]] introducing a ''restrictive'' subordinate clause | '''[[That]]''' is a [[conjunction]] introducing a ''restrictive'' subordinate clause: | ||
{{quote|“I fed the cat that sat on the mat.” ''[implied: ... and I let the other one, which sat in the armchair, go hungry]''.}} | {{quote|“I fed the cat that sat on the mat.” ''[implied: ... and I let the other one, which sat in the armchair, go hungry]''.}} | ||
'''[[Which]]''', by contrast, is a [[conjunction]] introducing a ''non''-restrictive subordinate clause: | |||
{{quote|“The cat, [[which]] sat on the mat, had halitosis.” ''[Its halitosis was not contingent on its location mat-wise; indeed there could be an entirely distinct minty-breathed moggy sitting on the same mat, for all we know.]''}} | {{quote|“The cat, [[which]] sat on the mat, had halitosis.” ''[Its halitosis was not contingent on its location mat-wise; indeed there could be an entirely distinct minty-breathed moggy sitting on the same mat, for all we know.]''}} | ||
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{{sa}} | {{sa}} | ||
*[[Conjunction]] | *[[Conjunction]] | ||
*[[And/or]] | |||
Revision as of 15:14, 12 May 2021
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Towards more picturesque speech™
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That
/ðət/ (Conj.)
Which
/wɪʧ/ (conj.)
That is a conjunction introducing a restrictive subordinate clause:
“I fed the cat that sat on the mat.” [implied: ... and I let the other one, which sat in the armchair, go hungry].
Which, by contrast, is a conjunction introducing a non-restrictive subordinate clause:
“The cat, which sat on the mat, had halitosis.” [Its halitosis was not contingent on its location mat-wise; indeed there could be an entirely distinct minty-breathed moggy sitting on the same mat, for all we know.]
Lesson: Get a dog.