The relative pronoun that is used with an essential clause, and the relative pronoun which is used with a nonessential clause. In 3–6 sentences, explain when to use each pronoun and the difference between the two types of relative clauses.
The relative pronoun "that" is used with an essential clause, also known as a restrictive or defining clause, while "which" is used with a nonessential clause, also known as a nonrestrictive or non-defining clause.
Essential clauses provide necessary information for the sentence structure and meaning. They restrict or define the noun they refer to and cannot be omitted without changing the intended meaning of the sentence. "That" is used in essential clauses to introduce them and cannot be replaced by "which". For example, "The book that I borrowed from the library is due tomorrow" indicates that it is a specific book that is due and not any other book.
On the other hand, nonessential clauses provide additional information that is not crucial to the sentence's meaning or structure. They provide extra details but can be omitted without changing the overall meaning of the sentence. "Which" is used in nonessential clauses to introduce them and is preceded by a comma. For example, "The book, which was borrowed from the library, is due tomorrow" adds the information that the book was borrowed from the library, but this additional detail is not necessary to understand that the book is due.
In summary, "that" is used with essential clauses that are necessary to the sentence's meaning, while "which" is used with nonessential clauses that provide extra, non-crucial information. The use of commas before and after nonessential clauses helps to distinguish them from the rest of the sentence.
The relative pronoun "that" is generally used with essential clauses, while the relative pronoun "which" is used with nonessential clauses.
An essential clause, also known as a restrictive clause, provides necessary information to identify or define the noun it modifies. It cannot be omitted from the sentence without changing the meaning or understanding of it. "That" is used to introduce essential clauses because it emphasizes the importance and necessity of the information it provides.
On the other hand, a nonessential clause, also called a non-restrictive clause, adds additional information about the noun it modifies. It does not change the fundamental meaning of the sentence and can be removed without altering the main point. "Which" is used to introduce nonessential clauses because it denotes that the information is not crucial to the sentence's core meaning.
For example, consider the sentence: "The book that I borrowed from the library was fascinating." Here, the essential clause "that I borrowed from the library" is necessary to specify which book is being referred to.
In contrast, in the sentence: "This novel, which was written by my favorite author, is a bestseller." The nonessential clause "which was written by my favorite author" provides extra information about the novel but is not essential to identifying the noun it modifies.
In summary, "that" is used to introduce essential clauses that are crucial to the sentence's meaning, while "which" is used to introduce nonessential clauses that provide additional but not essential information.
To understand when to use the relative pronouns "that" and "which" and the difference between the two types of relative clauses, it is important to know the distinction between essential and nonessential clauses.
An essential clause, also known as a restrictive clause, provides necessary information about the noun it modifies. These clauses are not set off by commas and are essential for the sentence's meaning. In these cases, we use the relative pronoun "that." For example, "The book that I borrowed from the library was very informative." Here, the clause "that I borrowed from the library" is essential to understanding which book is being referred to.
On the other hand, a nonessential clause, also known as a non-restrictive clause, adds extra information but is not crucial for the meaning of the sentence. These clauses are set off by commas. In these cases, we use the relative pronoun "which." For example, "My new laptop, which I bought last week, is incredibly fast." Here, the clause "which I bought last week" adds extra information about the laptop but can be omitted without altering the main meaning of the sentence.
In summary, use the relative pronoun "that" with essential clauses that are necessary for the sentence's meaning, and use the relative pronoun "which" with nonessential clauses that provide additional, non-crucial information.