The relative pronoun that is used with an essential clause, and the relative pronoun which is used with a nonessential clause. In 3–5 sentences, explain when to use each pronoun and the difference between the two types of relative clauses
The relative pronoun "that" is used in essential clauses, which are clauses that provide necessary information to understand the meaning of the sentence. These clauses cannot be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning. On the other hand, the relative pronoun "which" is used in nonessential clauses, which provide additional, but not necessary, information about the noun or subject of the sentence. These clauses can be removed from the sentence without altering its core meaning.
For example, in the sentence "I need the book that is on the table," the essential clause "that is on the table" is necessary to understand which book is being referred to. If we remove this clause, the sentence becomes "I need the book," but now we don't know which book is being referred to.
In contrast, in the sentence "I love my laptop, which is pink," the nonessential clause "which is pink" provides extra information about the laptop, but it is not essential to understand the main point of the sentence, which is that the speaker loves their laptop. If we remove this clause, the sentence would still convey the same idea, "I love my laptop."