The following are discussions on when to use which or that to introduce

adjective clause.

1. Which or That?
While both which and that can be used in other constructions, the confusion usually arises
when they are being used as relative pronouns to introduce adjective (or relative) clauses. In
the examples below, we have bracketed the adjective clauses. (Remember that a clause is
simply a group of words containing a subject and a verb):
1. Our house [that has a red door and green shutters] needs painting.
2. Our house, [which has a red door and green shutters], needs painting.
3. The classrooms [that were painted over the summer] are bright and cheerful.
4. The classrooms, [which were painted over the summer], are bright and cheerful.
In all four cases, the adjective clause tells us something about either the house or the
classrooms, but the choice of which or that changes the way we should read each sentence.
In the first sentence, the use of that suggests that we own more than one house and therefore
must explain to you that we are talking about a particular house of ours--the one with a red
door and green shutters. We cannot leave out that adjective clause because it is essential to
your understanding of the sentence; that is, you wouldn't know which one of our houses
needs the paint job without that adjective clause.
The second sentence tells you that we own only one house and we are simply telling you--in
case you want to know--that it happens to have a red door and green shutters. We could leave
out the information in that adjective clause and the sentence would still make sense.
The third sentence, because it uses that to launch its adjective clause, tells us that only SOME
of the classrooms were painted over the summer. If we omitted the clause "that were painted
over the summer," we would be left with "The classrooms are bright and cheerful," a
statement that would not be accurate since it would imply that ALL the classrooms are bright
and cheerful. In this sentence, therefore, the adjective clause is essential to the meaning of the
sentence.
We call the adjective clauses in sentences one and three restrictive because they restrict--or
limit--the meaning of the nouns they modify. In the case of sentence three, they tell us that we
are talking ONLY about the classrooms that were painted over the summer--not the others.
The which clause in the fourth sentence is what we call a nonessential--or nonrestrictive-clause. Since that sentence intends to tell us that ALL the classrooms were painted, the
information in the adjective clause is not essential. The sentence would be clear even if the
clause were omitted.
The rule of thumb, then, is that which clauses are nonrestrictive (nonessential) while that
clauses are restrictive (essential). Nonrestrictive clauses and phrases are set off from the rest
of a sentence by a pair of commas (as in our examples above) or by a single comma if they

come at the end of the sentence. (Example: "I took a vacation day on my birthday, which
happened to fall on a Monday this year.")
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition), regarded by most writers as the
authority on such matters, tells us that it is now common for which to be used with either kind
of clause, while that must be used only for restrictive clauses. In fact, though, careful writers
continue to make the distinction we describe above. Attorneys are taught to use which for
nonrestrictive clauses and that for restrictive clauses so as not to cause a misreading in legal
documents. It seems just as important that we work to avoid misreadings in all writing, not
only in situations when a legal ruling might be at stake.
TEST YOURSELF: Which pronoun--which or that--belongs in each blank below?
1. Carlos gave Maria a study guide for material ________ was going to be on the test.
2. Carlos gave Maria notes from chapters 3 through 7 _________ were going to be on the
test.
3. Mark and Sarah took their children on every vacation _________ they took to the coast.
4. The teachers gave awards to all paintings ________ showed originality.
ANSWERS
1.Carlos gave Maria a study guide for material *that* was going to be on the test. [To say
simply "Carlos gave Maria a study guide for material" would not be complete information.
We need the adjective clause to tell us which material, in particular. Since the information is,
therefore, essential, we use that and no comma.]
2.Carlos gave Maria notes from chapters 3 through 7, *which* were going to be on the test.
[The fact that chapters 3 through 7 were going to be on the test is not essential to our
understanding exactly which notes Carlos gave Maria, so we use a comma and which.]
3.Mark and Sarah took their children on every vacation *that* they took to the coast. [If we
said simply "Mark and Sarah took their children on every vacation," we would be inaccurate.
The information in the adjective clause is essential to our understanding that the children
went on certain vacations and not others. Therefore, we use that and no comma.]
4.The teachers gave awards to all paintings that showed originality. [To say simply "The
teachers gave awards to all paintings" would be inaccurate. The information in the adjective
clause is, therefore, essential to the meaning of the sentence, so we use that and no comma.]
Copyright 2000 and 2003

2. That versus Which

The traditional approach to this question is to use "that" with restrictive clauses and
"which" with non-restrictive clauses. While some writers seem to have abandoned
the distinction entirely, no better rule has come along to replace the traditional rule.
Moreover, the rule is easy to master.
1. Use "that" with restrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is one that limits -- or
restricts --the identity of the subject in some way. When writing a restrictive clause,
introduce it with the word "that" and no comma. (However, if the subject is or was a
human being, use "who" to introduce the clause.)
Correct Restrictive Use:
The painting that was hanging in the foyer was stolen.
Explanation: The use of "that" in this sentence is correct if the reader intends to
single out the one painting that was in the foyer as the stolen painting. However, if
there were several paintings hanging in the foyer, this use would be incorrect, since it
would mislead the reader into believing that there had been only one painting in the
foyer. The restriction here tells us that the one painting that had been hanging in the
foyer was stolen -- not the painting in the living room, or the one in the drawing room,
or any of those in the parlor.
2. Use "which" with nonrestrictive clauses. A nonrestrictive clause may tell us
something interesting or incidental about a subject, but it does not define that
subject. When writing a nonrestrictive clause, introduce it with "which" and insert
commas around the clause. (However, if the subject is or was a human being, use
"who" to introduce the clause and insert commas around the clause.)
Correct Nonrestrictive Use:
The painting, which was hanging in the foyer, was stolen.
Explanation: While this nonrestrictive use tells us that the painting was hanging in
the foyer, it does not tell us which of the several paintings in the foyer was the stolen
painting. It would be incorrect to use this nonrestrictive clause if there had been only
one painting in the foyer, as the sentence leaves open the possibility that there were
others.

3. Combining Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses. One can provide both limiting
and nonlimiting information about a subject in a single sentence. Consider the
following.
Correct Use of Both Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses:
The Van Gogh that was hanging in the foyer, which we purchased in 1929 for
$10,000, was stolen.
Explanation: The restrictive clause beginning with "that" tells us that there was only
one Van Gogh hanging in the foyer and that it was stolen. The nonrestrictive clause
beginning with "which" tells us what the owner had paid for the painting, but it does
not tell us that the owner did not pay another $10,000 for another painting in the
same year. It does not limit the possibilities to the Van Gogh that was in the foyer.
4. Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses beginning with "Who." When writing about
human beings, we use "who" rather than "that" or "which" to introduce a clause
telling us something about that human being. Since "who" is the only option, we
distinguish between a restrictive use and a nonrestrictive use by the use of commas.
Correct Restrictive Use:
The suspect in the lineup who has red hair committed the crime.
Note how the subject "suspect" in this sentence is restricted in two ways: we know
that this suspect is both in the lineup and has red hair. As a result, we know that the
other suspects, who are not in the lineup, could not have committed the crime.
Moreover, of those suspects in the lineup, we know that the one suspect in the lineup
with red hair committed the crime. If there were more than one suspect in the lineup
with red hair, the above usage would be incorrect because it implies a different
meaning.
Correct Nonrestrictive Use:
The suspect in the lineup, who owns a red car, committed the crime.
In this example, the restrictive clause "in the lineup" tells us that of all possible
suspects in the world, the one who committed the crime is in the lineup. However,
while the nonrestrictive clause "who owns a red car" tells us something about the
suspect, it does not foreclose the possibility that there are several different suspects
in the lineup with red cars. The car color may tell us something useful, but it does not
restrict us to only one possibility.

3."That" or "Which"?
In business writing classes, people often ask about the difference
between that and which. Where should each word be used? What's
the difference between them?
It can be a tricky question, and I don't look forward to talking
about it in classes. That's because the distinction
between that and which can be very subtle and take too much
time to absorb in class. (And if you don't like subtle grammar and
usage questions, stop reading this post. But come back tomorrow!)
The subject came up last week, when Jean of FaithTrust
Institute phoned me and emailed examples that had her
perplexed. Analyzing several examples with her made me realize I
ought to write about the topic here.
Here's the short answer to the question of that and which:
That usually introduces essential information in what is called a
"restrictive clause." Which introduces extra information in a
"nonrestrictive clause."
Example from a recent email:
I am offering a new class, Email Intelligence, that/which may be
an excellent fit for your training needs and budget.
Does the clause (in red) introduce information that is essential to
knowing which Email Intelligence class?
No. The clause provides extra information, so which is correct.
Revised example:
Among my new programs, I am offering a class that/which may be
an excellent fit for your training needs and budget.
Does the clause (in red) introduce information that is essential to
knowing which class?

Yes. The clause tells which class--a class that may be an excellent
fit. Therefore, that is correct.
Here's a helpful comment Jean made about the
distinction, which may be helpful to you:
"What is FASCINATING to me is that . . . one way to determine . . .
the correct word . . . is to ask the question, 'Does the clause
clarify which of several possibilities is being referred to?' If the
answer is yes, then the correct word to use is that. If the answer
is no, the correct word to use is which."
I like the way Jean expressed the surprising rule. An abridged
version might be "To clarify which, use that."
Test yourself:
Craig uses the AP Stylebook, that/which newspapers and
magazines follow.
Michelle likes a Oaxacan restaurant that/which is on Ballard
Avenue.
Lynn wrote about the that/which rule, that/which confuses many
people.
Answers: 1. which, 2. that, 3. which
You've probably noticed that "which clauses" are set off by
commas--"that clauses" are not.
Sometimes that can be omitted: Michelle likes a Oaxacan
restaurant on Ballard Avenue.
If you have gotten this far, which I know you have,
congratulations. That is an achievement!

4. That vs. Which

When proofreading a peers article on the solar system, I realized that she, and I, are unsure of
the proper use of that and which in a sentence. Below is [SIC] two examples of the same
sentence, one using that and the other which.

To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system which currently sustains life,
although several other bodies are under investigation.
To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life,
although several other bodies are under investigation.
Which is the correct sentence, and what is the general rule of thumb?
Ill give the answer now, rather than making you read to the end of the whole article: the second
version of that sentence, using that is correct.

When To Use That and When To Use Which

Before I come on to the that/which rule, just a reminder that who should always be used
when referring to people.
The boy who threw the ball.
This is the woman who always wears a black shawl.
When referring to objects, though, the rule for using that and which correctly is simple:
THAT should be used to introduce a restrictive clause.
WHICH should be used to introduce a non-restrictive or parenthetical clause.
If that leaves you more confused than when you began this article, read on
A restrictive clause is one which is essential to the meaning of a sentence if its removed, the
meaning of the sentence will change. For example:
Chairs that dont have cushions are uncomfortable to sit on.
Card games that involve betting money should not be played in school.
To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life
A non-restrictive clause can be left out without changing the meaning of a sentence. Nonrestrictive clauses are either in brackets or have a comma before and after them (or only before
them if they come at the end of a sentence):
Chairs, which are found in many places of work, are often uncomfortable to sit on.
I sat on an uncomfortable chair, which was in my office.

Why You Need to Use That or Which Correctly

Changing that to which or vice versa can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
Consider the following examples:
My car that is blue goes very fast.
My car, which is blue, goes very fast.
The first sentence uses that suggesting I own more than one car (and even implying my other
cars might not be so fast). This is what happens if we leave out the clause and write:
My car that is blue goes very fast.
My car goes very fast.

The sentences meaning has changed: the reader does not know which one of my cars goes
very fast.

However, the sentence using which simply informs the reader that my car is blue. We can take
the clause out without losing any essential information:
My car, which is blue, goes very fast.
My car goes very fast.

That and Which in Common Usage

It is common today for which to be used with both non-restrictive and restrictive clauses,
especially in informal contexts:
Who ate the cake that I bought this morning?
Who ate the cake which I bought this morning?
The clause that I bought this morning is essential to the meaning Im not asking about a cake
which I bought yesterday, or this afternoon. Therefore, the first example using that is the correct
one, but many people would not consider the second ungrammatical.
It is, however, incorrect even in informal contexts to use that for a non-restrictive or parenthical
clause. For example, these sentences would be considered incorrect:
This computer, that I have never liked, is very slow.
The blue desk, that my father gave me.
An easy way to watch out for these is to look for instances where you have a comma followed by
the word that. If Id know this years ago, it would have saved me a lot of frustration with Microsoft
Word!
Even though the usage of which has been relaxed to some extent, it is still better to keep your
writing as clear as possible by using which for only non-restrictive clauses, and that for
restrictive ones.
So, to return to Justins example:
To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system which currently sustains life,
although several other bodies are under investigation.
To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life,
although several other bodies are under investigation.
The second sentence, using that is correct, but many people would consider the first sentence
permissible too. In a formal context such as a scientific paper, it is better to use that for total
clarity.