When do you use the word which in a sentence

Proper use

In the English language there are words and related rules that are used in speech so often that we stop noticing them. One such case is the use of «That».

As we all know, the word That can perform various functions as part of a sentence — not only its translation into Russian depends on this, but also what part of speech it belongs to. In this article we will consider and analyze all known use cases. That.

Defining word or determine

So, That can perform the function defining word or determine in English. In this case That translated into Russian as this, this, this, that, that and that.

As a rule, the word is placed at the beginning of a sentence and indicates an object that is far from the speaker. It is important to remember that plural from That — Those.

In addition, quite often the word «that» or «those» is used in a sentence in conjunction with there.

For example:

That is my boss Jason over there. — This is my leader is over there.

Those photos are by Annie Leibovitz. — These photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz.

That is Daniel’s car in the end of the street. — This is Daniel’s car at the end of the street.

Relative pronoun or aboutpronoun

That It can also be used as a relative pronoun to connect two simple sentences in a complex or to indicate an object. Being a pronoun, That пis translated into Russian as this, this who or which the. In some sentences That can be replaced with who or which.

For example:

That task looks difficult. — This the task seems daunting.

What is That in the box? — What it in the box?

Kate bought the car That her neighbor was selling. — Kate bought a car, that sold her neighbor (in this case, that can be replaced by which).

Jason knows the guy That was attending the conference. — Jason knows the guy который attended a conference (in this case that can be replaced with who).

As a pronoun That can also be used in a number of set expressions. Among them:

1. That‘sit — exactly, right, that’s all.For example: You have to send the application form directly to the embassy. That‘sit. — You must send the questionnaire directly to the embassy. That’s it.
   
2. That‘sThat — at this point, for example: I will never sign this agreement and

Частьsubordinate clauseпредложенияorin a clause as an object or a compliment

We often use That as a combination of the main and subordinate clauses. In such cases, the word can act as an object in relation to a verb or an addition to a noun or adjective.

For example:

Kate knew That she would be nervous during her speech. — Kate knew that will be worried during the performance.

Olga hinted That they were going to buy a new house. — Olga hinted, that they are going to buy a new home.

Denis thought That his decision was right. — Denis believed that his decision was correct.

At the beginning of a sentence or assubjectofasentence

That can be used at the beginning of a sentence. However, it is worth remembering that such constructions are more natural in formal communication, they are rarely found in everyday speech.

For example:

That Jessica expects us to do everything for her is crazy. — Thatthat Jessica expects us to do everything for her is silly.

That

Source: https://www.wallstreetenglish.ru/blog/pravilnoye-ispolzovaniye-that-v-angliyskom/

When that, which, who (whom and whose) is used: relative pronoun rules, example use — SPEAK ENGLISH

In English, you can find a number of pronouns that can not only replace nouns, but serve to combine two sentences into one — the main and and the subordinate clause. First of all, we mean the English pronouns who, which and that. These pronouns are usually called connective or relative. Often this group includes whom.

We will consider each word, give general recommendations on the use of one or another English pronoun in accordance with the rules of grammar and analyze their use in practice.

To begin with, it should be understood that Relative Pronouns and Conjunctive Pronouns are different groups.

Relative pronouns define «which one»:

I have a friend who can draw well. — I have a friend who draws great./ That is, we find out what kind of friend this is — a good drawing.

Connective pronouns will combine parts of subordinate clauses:

Do you know, who wrote this book? — Do you know who wrote this book?/ Here the pronoun combines two sentences and does not define anyone.

Although they can be expressed with the same words and even have the same translation into Russian, these pronouns serve different functions in a sentence. The main purpose of our article is to help you in choosing the right word, and not to give a classification of pronouns. Based on this, we will tell you about the features of each word, regardless of their group.

Each of the presented pronouns can be translated from English “what”, “which”. Pronouns are NOT interchangeable. We will talk about the reasons further.

English pronoun Who

This pronoun can only be used in relation to a person. Remember, in English it is not enough to be an animate noun like a cat or a horse. Many grammatical rules related to pronouns divide nouns into the category “person” — “not human”.

This is a song about a man who sold the world. — This is a song about a man who sold the world.

Let’s find out who killed who. — Let’s find out who killed whom.

Since the word performing the function of the subject presupposes exactly a person, a person, we use the pronoun ‘who’.

This pronoun has a case form ‘whom‘- “which”, “which”. This word in an English sentence expresses an addition in the subordinate clause:

Do you remember whom did you tell about it? — Do you remember who you told about it?

However, many linguists and philologists regard this form as bookish. In colloquial speech, it is most often replaced by ‘that’.

English pronoun Which

The pronoun ‘which’ is also translated “which”, “which”, but unlike the previous word, it can only be used in relation to inanimate objects and animals, that is, to “not people”.

Sally dodn’t remember which way to go. Sally didn’t remember which road to take.

It is generally accepted that the pronoun ‘which’ is a more bookish version of ‘that’, which can be found more often in colloquial speech. However, these words may not always substitute for each other. ‘That’ will never be used as a subject in a subordinate clause:

Tell me, which car is yours? — Tell me, which car is yours?

This is an important point to pay attention to. The pronoun ‘that’, which will be discussed now, very often replaces ‘who’ or ‘which’ in speech, if they are relative.

BUT ‘that’ is never used as a connecting pronoun.

English pronoun That

So, we have decided that this English pronoun is relative. Its beauty lies in the fact that it can replace almost any relative pronoun, regardless of which noun it is assigned to — animate or inanimate, be it a person or an animal:

When are which, that and who are used

In this article, we will look at the cases when it is used which, and when — That, what is the difference in use. We will also touch on the use of who in relative clauses in English.

Sometimes which and that are used interchangeably:

What’s the name of the river which / that goes through the town? — What is the name of the river that flows through the city?

The same goes for that and who (when it comes to people):

What’s the name of the man who / that lives next door? — What is the name of the man who lives next door?

Who и which used in more formal situations.

But the use also depends on the type of the subordinate clause. If you don’t know what it is, the next paragraph will refresh your memory a bit.

What is a relative clause

In simple words, subordinate clauses add information to the main one. In Russian, they are usually separated from the main sentence by a comma. They can often be discarded without losing their meaning.

When we deal with relative pronouns that, which и who, here it is necessary to consider the relative clauses.

Defining / identifying clause

Also called restrictive.

Such proposals clarify who or what exactly we are talking about. Throwing them out will affect the meaning of the whole sentence.

In definitive sentences, it is more common to use THAT (but which can also be used). If we are talking about people, it is also used who.

The woman who / that visited me in the hospital was very kind. “The woman who visited me in the hospital was very kind. (If you leave «the woman was very kind» — it is not clear who we are talking about).

The umbrella that / which I bought last week is already broken. — The umbrella I bought last week is already broken. (Without a clause, it turns out «The umbrella has already broken» — which umbrella?)

As you may have noticed, in such cases, we do not use commas.

Non-defining clause

Also called non-restrictive.

Such sentences add information that can be thrown out of the sentence without losing substance. That is, they provide information that is not required to be mentioned.

Such sentences use WHICH… When referring to people, it is used who.

Elephants, which are the largest land mammals, live in herds of 10 or more adults. — Elephants, the largest terrestrial mammals, live in herds of 10 or more adults. (About the largest mammals — rather, an optional encyclopedic clarification).

The author, who graduated from the same university I did, gave a wonderful presentation. — The author, who graduated from the same university as me, gave a wonderful presentation. (Here the speaker simply notes that the author studied at the same institution with him. You can also add «by the way»).

Also, if we are talking about belonging, you can use the pronoun who (whose):

The farmer, whose name was Fred, sold us 10 pounds of potatoes. “A farmer whose name was Fred (whose name was Fred) sold us 10 pounds of potatoes. (Again, the information about his name is not important, the point is that he sold us the potatoes).

Non-definitive subordinate clauses are separated by commas.

That in indefinite sentences NOT used by:

The area, which has very high unemployment, is in the north of the country. 
The area, which has very high unemployment, is in the north of the country.

If the rule seemed a little vague and incomprehensible to you, let’s look at a couple more examples to compare the relative clauses after which и That.

The car that he bought is very expensive. “The car he bought is very expensive. (The clause contains important information — we are talking specifically about the car he bought). 

He bought a car, which is very expensive. — He bought a car, which is very expensive. (Here it is important for us to say that he bought a car. Information that it is expensive is not so important.) 

I hope you now understand how which differs from that and how to use them correctly in a sentence. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments.

Finally, I suggest you do the exercises as a quiz to help you practice the lesson.

Rule of using who which

Who (or Whom) is a pronoun, and is used by the speaker as a subject or object of a verb to indicate which person is being discussed, or to enter any additional information about the person just mentioned. This pronoun can only be used in relation to animate persons.

Which is a pronoun, and is used by the speaker as a subject or object of a verb to indicate what thing or things are being discussed, or to enter any additional information about the thing just mentioned. This pronoun can only be used in relation to inanimate objects.

That is a pronoun, and is used by the speaker as a subject or object of a verb to indicate which person or thing is being discussed, or to enter any additional information about the person or thing just mentioned. This pronoun can be used in relation to both animate persons and inanimate ones.

All of these pronouns can be omitted in some cases (see relative pronouns for details).

For example:
the girl who was hungry.
Girl, которая was hungry.

the boy whom I talked to.
Boy, s which I was talking.

The dog That wagged its tail.
Dog, который wagged his tail.

The softwareThat) I wrote.
Software, which I wrote.

the company, which / That hired me.
Company, которая hired me.

Interrogative pronouns.
1. Interrogative pronouns are relative pronouns ( what, who, whom, which, who ), are only used in a complex declarative clause to connect a main clause with a clause.

Syntactic function of relative pronouns (what, who, whom, which, whose). At the same time, within the subordinate clause, these pronouns perform an independent syntactic function (subject, addition, definition).

The woman, who is from London, speaks Irish.

The woman who is from London speaks Irish (subject).

Doesn’t always say what he thinks.

He always says what he thinks (addition).

That is the doll which I bought for my daughter.

This is a doll that I bought for my daughter (added).

Using that instead of the relative pronouns what, who, whom, which, whose in the subordinate clause.

Instead of the relative pronouns what, who, whom, which, whose in the relative clause, a relative pronoun can be used That — which, in relation to both an animate and an inanimate object (But: after the comma and the prepositions that are not used) These are the tables which they bought 2 weeks ago.

These are the tables they bought two weeks ago.

Consuming Whose. 2. Whose, as a relative pronoun, is used with both inanimate and animate objects and stands directly before the nouns to which the pronoun refers.

Do they happen to call the young women who names are Jill and Jim Peterson?

Have you ever called the young women named Jill and the Jim Petersons?

The mountains who

Source: https://ekaterina-alexeeva.ru/nachinayushhim/kogda-ispolzuetsya-that-which-who-whom-i-whose-pravilo-upotrebleniya-otnositelnyh-mestoimenij-primer-ispolzovaniya.html

Clauses and relative pronouns

In this article we will talk about the types of subordinate clauses, as well as learn what relative pronouns are in English and how to use them when constructing complex sentences.

In English, as in Russian, sentences can be simple or complex. Complex sentences are divided into compound sentences and complex sentences.

All parts of compound sentences are equal to each other, and compound sentences consist of a principal clause and one or more subordinate clauses.

In this article we will talk about the different types of subordinate clauses, as well as about relative pronouns, which are necessary to link subordinate clauses with the main one.

The main clause and the subordinate clause are unequal — the subordinate clause always depends on the main clause and cannot exist independently. Subordinate clauses do not have a specific place in a sentence — they can come before, after or in the middle of the main sentence:

Do you know the man who offered us a discount? — You know the man who offered us a discount?
When I come home, I will call you. — When I will come home, I’ll call you.
dress, which you asked me for, is dirty. — The dress, which you asked me, dirty.

The relative clauses in English perform the function of one of the members of the sentence:

• subject clauses
• predicative clauses
• object clauses
• adverbial clauses
• attributive clauses

Now let’s talk about each of the types of subordinate clauses in more detail.

Such clauses perform the function of a subject and answer the questions who? (who?) and what? (what?). Sentences are entered using the following words: that (what), whether (whether), if (whether), who (who, who), whom (whom, to whom), whose (whose), what (what, which), which (which), when (when), where (where), how (how), why (why).

What i need is your full attention. — What I need Is your full attention.
Whether he comes or not is not important anymore. — Will he come or not — it doesn’t matter anymore.

2. Predicative clauses

They stand in the place of the predicate after the verb to be (to be). They are connected to the main clause with the same words as the subordinate subjects: that (what), whether (whether), if (whether), who (who, who), whom (whom, to whom), whose (whose), what ( what, what, etc.). Unlike subordinate subjects, predicate clauses always appear in the second part of a complex sentence.

Please note that the verb to be (to be), which acts as a linking verb between the main and subordinate clauses in Russian, is translated as «to consist in that (that)», «in that (that)».

The problem was that we got lost and had nobody to ask for directions… — The problem was that we were lost and we had no one to ask for directions.
The question is if he can get his car fixed by Monday… — The question is, will his car be repaired by monday.
that is why I couldn’t tell you the truth… — Here why couldn’t I tell you the truth.

3. Additional clauses

They serve as a complement and answer the questions what? (what?), about what? (about what?), what for? (for what?) and other questions of indirect cases. The sentences are introduced with the same words as the subject and predicate clauses.

I didn’t know where my husband was… — I did not know, where was my husband.
He convinced me that it was a very bad idea… — He convinced me that it was a very bad idea.
My colleagues hope that we will not have to go on strike… — My colleagues hope that we don’t have to go on strike.

4. Subordinate clauses

Such clauses act as circumstances and answer the questions when? (when?), why? (why?), where? (where?, where?) and how? (how?). This group of subordinate clauses is divided into subgroups by value. Let’s examine each of the subgroups in turn:

• The adverbial clauses of time answer the questions when? (when?), since when? (since when?), how long? (how long?). The subordinate clause is introduced into the sentence with a union that is somehow related to the designation of time: when (when), while (while), as (when, while), after (after), before (before ), till / until (until, until), as soon as (once), since (since) or by the time (by the time).While you were at the hospital, your boss called three times. — While you were in the hospital, your boss called three times. He moved to Chicago when he was 25 years old… — He moved to Chicago, when he was 25 years oldPlease note that in the subordinate clause of time, if we are talking about a future action, you cannot use will. Instead, we use the present tense — Present Simple, Present Continuous or Present Perfect.As soon as I find a new job, I’ll pay you back. — As soon as I find a new job, I will return your money. Please, close the window before you leave for work… — Please close the window before, how will you leave for work.
• The adverbial clauses of place answer the questions where? (where?, where?) and where from? (where?). The clause is joined to the main clause using the union where (where, where), wherever (wherever, wherever), anywhere (anywhere) or everywhere (everywhere). wherever you want… — You can go, wherever you want… Can you tell me where I can park my car? — Could you tell me, where can i park my car?
• The adverbial clauses of reason answer the question why? (why?). The main clause and the subordinate clause are combined with the conjunction because (because), as (because), since (because), for (because) or seeing that (because). I didn’t climb the tree because I am afraid of height… — I did not climb a tree, because I’m afraid of height.Since she doesn’t want to help me, I will have to do everything myself. — Since she doesn’t want to help me, I will have to do everything myself.
• Adverbial clauses of the investigation Adverbial clauses of the investigation (the adverbial clauses of result) — the main clause describes the reason, the clause indicates the effect, they are connected by the union so that (so that) or such that (such that) .It was such a hard day that I fell the asleep moment I got into bed… — It was such a hard day, that I fell asleep, as soon as I went to bed… He spoke so quietly that no one could hear him… — He said so quiet, that no one heard him.
• The adverbial clauses of manner and comparison — the subordinate clause is attached to the main clause using the conjunction as if (as if), as though (as if), as (as ), than, as as (the same as) or so as (such as). as if you have been working a lot recently! — You seem, as if worked a lot lately! Today it is not as cold as it was yesterday… — Today not so cold, how was it yesterday.
• The adverbial clauses of concession — although / though (although), no matter what (whatever), whatever (whatever), whoever (whoever), however (whatever), whatever (whatever), even though (whatever).whatever happens, I will be there for you. — Whatever happensyou can count on me.Though we live in different countries, we still remain close friends. — Although we live in different countries, we are still close friends.

Source: https://englex.ru/subordinate-clauses/

Who, which or that? Relative Clauses in english

What are these sentences with the interrogative words who and which in the middle?
Those parts of the sentence that start with question words are called “relative clauses”. Their function is to identify or provide additional information about nouns or pronouns that are mentioned in the main part of the sentence.

The words who, which, where, whose, which we mistake for interrogative words, in this case have the role of pronouns and are called: relative pronouns;
who (whom) refers to people;
which refers to things, objects;
whose we use when talking about belonging;

Do you know the man who lives next door? — Do you know the person who lives in the next house? My friend Jane, whom I visited last year, lives in London. — My friend Jane, whom I visited last year, lives in London. Those who want to buy tickets should pay in advance. — Those who want to buy tickets must pay in advance. The new book by Stephen King, which I have just read, impressed me. — The new book by Stephen King that I just read impressed me.

My sister, whose husband is British, speaks English very well. — My sister, who has a British husband (who is married to a British), speaks good English.

At first glance, everything is simple, isn’t it? There are nouns and pronouns. There is more information about them.

But let’s look at the examples again: why do some sentences in English have commas and others do not?

To understand this and other issues related to the use of relative clauses, you need to know what two types of relative clauses are and understand the difference between them.

Two types of Relative Clauses

Top questions related to Relative Clauses:

• How can you tell if a comma is being put?
• How to choose the correct relative pronoun: who / which or that?
• When can relative pronoun be omitted from a sentence?

Let’s start with a comma. Why are there problems with her?

The fact is that in Russian, Ukrainian and other languages, we always put a comma in front of the part of the sentence that begins with the words which, which, which and the like.

And in English, before putting a comma, you need to figure out what function this part (relative clause) performs in the whole sentence.
Unfortunately, not everyone understands and clearly explains the difference between the two types of relative clauses, which is why there are so many mistakes in written work and in speech.

Let’s take a look at the differences and features of these types.

1. Defining Relative Clauses (Identifying Relative Clauses)

The meaning of the verb to define — to define, define, characterize; constitute a distinctive property. Defining Relative Clause — a part of a sentence that characterizes a noun or pronoun (subject or complement of the main sentence), gives important information, without which the essence will not be clear.
For example:

I met the woman who lives next door. — I met a woman who lives in a neighboring apartment.

This is the watch which my father gave me for my Birthday. — This is the watch that my dad gave me for my birthday.

If we remove the second part from these examples — everything after who and which, then the incomprehensible will remain:

I met the woman.
This is the watch.

The definite article the indicates something definite, but at the same time there is no definition, and our interlocutor will certainly have questions: “What kind of woman? What clock? What are we talking about? » To make it clear what exactly you are talking about, you need Defining Relative Clauses, which provide the necessary information and define nouns.

If we are dealing with Defining Relative Clauses, then who and which can be replaced with that, especially in informal speech:

I met the woman who / that lives next door. — I met a woman who lives in a neighboring apartment.

This is the watch which / that my father gave me for my Birthday. — This is the watch that my dad gave me for my birthday.

Now about the reason for the absence of commas.
We have found out that Defining Relative Clauses cannot be removed from a sentence without losing its meaning. Without this part, the proposal will be irrelevant and will raise additional clarifying questions. Defining relative clauses no need to separate with commas, because they — integral part of the offer.

Another way to remember, which I suggest to my students, sounds like this: if there is that, no comma:

Do you know the man who / that lives next door? — Do you know the person who lives in the next house?

I movies which / that have a happy ending. — I love films that have a happy ending.

In a speech, Defining Relative Clauses not highlighted by pauses.

Non-defining Relative Clauses (Non-identifying Relative Clauses)

Their main difference from Defining Relative Clauses is that they bring to the proposal not important, but additional information about the subject or object, which does not in any way affect the main meaning of the sentence, since the subject or object has already been identified:

My friend Jane, who lives in London, got a new job. — My friend Jane, who lives in London, got a new job.

The new book by Stephen King, which I have just read, impressed me. — The new book by Stephen King that I just read impressed me.

In the first sentence, it was quite possible to do without specifying where the friend lives. In the second, there is no information that I have just read the book.

We need commas in Non-defining Relative Clauses in order to show optional information in a sentence… The commas say: «You can throw this part out of the sentence, since without it the rest of the sentence has adequate meaning.»

If desired, the speaker can present additional information in a separate simple sentence.

However, Non-defining Relative Clauses serve to enhance fluency and beauty of speech, making sentences more complex, avoiding repetition, which is why we use them so often.

Non-defining Relative Clauses generally do not use that:
There is that, there are no commas. There are commas that cannot fit.

This is Bill Gates, who is one of the richest people in the world. — This is Bill Gates, who is one of the richest people in the world.

They bought this house in 1990, which was the most important purchase in their life. — They bought this house in 1990, which was the most important purchase of their life.

In Non-defining Relative Clauses speech highlighted by pauses.

When can you remove the relative pronoun from a sentence?

If you pay attention to how sentences are constructed in English, then I think you have noticed that not all relative clauses have who, which, that. Sometimes the relative pronoun «drops out» of the sentence.

In the case of Non-defining Relative Clauses, we can completely discard the entire part, but in Defining Relative Clauses there is an opportunity to miss only relative pronoun… And even then, not always. Let’s figure it out when possible.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Defining Relative Clauses can be subject or object:

This is the man who lives next door. — This is the person who lives next door.

This is the man who / whom I met on holiday. — This is the person I met on vacation.

In the first case, who refers to the subject (subject relative pronoun), since we have one character in the sentence — the man.
In the second case, there are two people in the sentence — I and the man. Who / whom is an object relative pronoun, as it refers to the complement of the man.

The principle is similar here:

There is the house that is the oldest house in the city. — This is the same house, which is the oldest house in the city.

There is the house which / that I rented last year. “This is the same house that I rented last year.

I know that many of you define “correctness” by ear. Try throwing out the relative pronoun in the examples above. Which of the sentences sounds better and «more correct»? Of course, the second in each pair.

This is the man (who / whom) I met on holiday. — This is the person I met on vacation.

There is the house (which / that) I rented last year. “This is the same house that I rented last year.

The principle is this: if a sentence with Defining Relative Clause mentions two participants / subjects, one of which is the subject, and the other is the object, and Defining Relative Clause defines an add-on, then relative pronoun can be omitted from the sentence.

A few more examples to solidify your understanding:

The people (who / whom) we met on holiday were very friendly. — The people we met on vacation were very friendly.

(who / whom refers to people, this is an object for met, so we can omit who / whom)

Have you seen the newspaper (which / that) I read in the morning? — Have you seen the newspaper that I read this morning?

(which / that refers to newspaper, this is an object for read, so we can omit which / that)

I d the meal (which / that) you cooked yesterday. — I liked the dish you cooked yesterday.

(which / that refers to meal, this is an object for cooked, so we can omit which / that)

We will meet the girl (who / whom) my brother married. — We will meet the girl my brother married.

(who / whom refers to girl, this is an object for married, so we can omit who / whom)

Please note that the translations contain the words «which, which, which», despite the fact that in the English version we remove them.

Let’s sum up.
Here is a comparison of the two types of Relative Clauses, the main points that you will need to remember:

Defining Non-defining

Present the necessary, defining information about the subject or object	Present additional information
Cannot be removed from a sentence without losing meaning	Can be removed from the proposal, because they carry additional information
You can use who, which and that	Only who and which can be used
Not separated by commas	Separated by commas
Are not distinguished by pauses in speech	Highlighted by pauses in speech
You can «throw away» object relative pronoun	Cannot be «thrown away» relative pronoun

Who or whom?

In the examples above, you noticed that I used not only who, but also whom.

Whom is sometimes used as an object relative pronoun when there is an addition in the sentence:

This is the man whom you met at our wedding. “This is the man you met at our wedding.

This is Mary, with whom I studied. — This is Mary, with whom I studied.

However, in modern English who is used more often, even as an adjunct:

This is the man who you met at our wedding.
This is Mary, who I studied with.

Source: https://enginform.com/article/who-which-ili-relative-clauses-v-anglijskom

When are which, that and who are used

In this article, we will look at the cases when it is used which, and when — That, what is the difference in use. We will also touch on the use of who in relative clauses in English.

First of all, you need to remember that That used when we talk about people, animals and things. Which — about animals and things.  Who — about people.

Sometimes which and that are used interchangeably:

What’s the name of the river which / that goes through the town? — What is the name of the river that flows through the city?

The same goes for that and who (when it comes to people):

What’s the name of the man who / that lives next door? — What is the name of the man who lives next door?

Who и which used in more formal situations.

But the use also depends on the type of the subordinate clause. If you don’t know what it is, the next paragraph will refresh your memory a bit.

In Which or Where? / In Which versus Where

In this article, we will look at the correct use of words. which и Where in sentences like This is the store at which I met my friend и This is the store where I met my friend.

In both sentences which и Where act as relative pronouns that introduce subordinate clauses. They are used to describe scene of action… Difference in use which и Where It is as follows: which is used in a formal style, while Where — in the informal.

Drinking Which

If in a courtroom or in some other formal situation you need to tell about where you shopped, then the following sentence will do: The mall at which I did the shopping that day was My World.

But which can be used not only in the official style. Often which with the preceding preposition is used to give clarity and definition to the sentence. For example, The house at which I saw you slightly different from The house in which I saw you. When consumed Where this, albeit a slight difference, is lost: The house where I saw you.

Also which used to avoid using a preposition at the end of a sentence (a preposition at the end of a sentence makes it unofficial).

For example, the sentence This is the desk in which the papers are stored more preferably in a formal situation, and the proposal This is the desk that the papers are stored in — in the informal.

The pronoun is also suitable for informal style. Where (Instead of in which): This is the desk where the papers are stored.

Using Where

A shopping offer discussed above in an informal situation, such as talking to a friend, would sound like The mall where I did the shopping that day was My World… You can also dispense with both pronouns by saying I did the shopping that day at My World mall.
Also Where

Source: https://www.englishelp.ru/learn-english/articles-for-learners/259-which-versus-where.html

What’s the difference between who, which and that?

In English, you can find a number of pronouns that can not just replace nouns, but serve to combine two sentences into one — the main and and the subordinate. First of all, we mean the English pronouns who, which and that. These pronouns are usually called connective or relative. Often this group includes whom.

We will consider each word, give general recommendations on the use of one or another English pronoun in accordance with the rules of grammar and analyze their use in practice.

To begin with, it should be understood that Relative Pronouns and Conjunctive Pronouns are different groups.

Relative pronouns define «which one»:

I have a friend who can draw well. — I have a friend who draws great./ That is, we will find out what kind of friend this is — a good drawing.

Connective pronouns will combine parts of subordinate clauses:

Do you know, who wrote this book? — Do you know who wrote this book?/ Here the pronoun combines two sentences and does not define anyone.

Although they can be expressed with the same words and even have the same translation into Russian, these pronouns serve different functions in a sentence. The main purpose of our article is to help you in choosing the right word, and not to give a classification of pronouns. Based on this, we will tell you about the features of each word, regardless of their group.

Each of the presented pronouns can be translated from English “what”, “which”. Pronouns are NOT interchangeable. We will talk about the reasons further.

5 main rules for using relative pronouns in English

There is an important topic of relative pronouns that cannot be ignored when studying English. Their use in the context of subordinate clauses has a number of interesting nuances that will be useful for you to learn.

What are the relative pronouns?

The following relative pronouns exist in English: who, that, which, which, whom, whose, and whoever / whomever. Basically, relative pronouns are needed in order to introduce relative clauses.

Usually, this kind of subordinate clauses refers to a word, phrase or meaning of the main sentence that acts as an antecedent (a noun or its equivalent, to which the subsequent pronoun refers).

In the following examples, the relative pronouns whom and that affect the subject that is the antecedent:

The neighbor, whom I saw this morning, crashed his car. — Neighbor, whom I saw this morning crashed my car.

the cake That Jane cooked was nice and tasty. — Cake, который baked by Jane was beautiful and delicious.

The use of one or another relative pronoun directly depends on the type of the relative clause. There are two types of relative clauses: restrictive (clarifying the meaning) and propaganda (supplementing new information). In both cases, the relative pronoun can be the subject, object, or possessive pronoun (whose).

Relative pronouns in restrictive clauses

Relative pronouns that introduce a subordinate clause are not separated by a comma from the main clause. In this case, the subordinate clause provides important information about the antecedent in the main clause.

This information plays a key role in the correct understanding of the meaning of the main sentence, so it cannot be omitted. Simply put, without a restrictive clause, the main clause simply loses its meaning.

Subject relative pronouns

I was nicely surprised to meet guys who also arrived to support their favorite team. — I was pleasantly surprised to meet the guys, that also came to support their favorite team.

It will be the party That everyone will remember. — It will be a party которая will be remembered by everyone.

Object relative pronouns

Relative object-related pronouns that define a person or an object can be omitted. However, official English requires the use of a relative pronoun.

If a relative pronoun is a complement of a preposition, which should be used instead of that, for example: in which (in which), about which (about which), for which (for which). Let’s look at some examples:

Official English: Dr. Smith was the person to whom I expressed my deep esteem and whose reputation was known to everyone. — Dr. Smith was a man to which I expressed my deepest respect and whose reputation was known to everyone. 

Unofficial English: Dr. Smith was the person I expressed my deep esteem to and whose reputation was known to everyone.

Official English: There was a wonderful landscape at the exhibition That Jane adored. — There was a wonderful landscape at the exhibition, который delighted Jane.

Unofficial English: There was a wonderful landscape at the exhibition Jane adored.

Official English: Tom achieved the cave about which he had heard so many tales. — Tom made it to the cave, about which heard so many legends.

Unofficial English: Tom achieved the cave he had heard so many tales about.

In American English, the relative pronoun whom is used quite rarely and is usually replaced by who, and in colloquial speech it is completely omitted:

Official version: The man to whom you said hello in the morning is my uncle. — Human, which you said hello in the morning — my uncle.

Spoken version: The man you said hello to in the morning is my uncle. (The man who you said hello to in the morning is my uncle.)

However, if the relative pronoun whom appears after the preposition and is its complement, it cannot be omitted:

The man for whom she was waiting so many years finally appeared. — Finally a man appeared, whom she has waited so many years.

Relative pronouns as possessive pronouns

In English, only whose is a possessive relative pronoun. Both persons and objects can act as its antecedent.

the boy who toy engine broke yesterday was presented a new beautiful toy truck. — Boy, whose the car broke down yesterday, got a new first-class toy truck.

The bag who owner got off the bus was delivered to the nearest lost-property office. — Bag, owner where got off the bus, was taken to the nearest lost and found office. 

Relative pronouns in clauses

Despite the similarity in usage, relative pronouns introducing clauses are separated from the main sentence by a comma. Usually which is a sign of a relative clause.

As a rule, pronouncing clauses do not carry valuable information about the antecedent in the main clause. This information is not key in the correct understanding of the idea of ​​the main sentence and can be omitted without losing its meaning.

In other words, the subordinate clause is a digression that provides additional information. Let’s find out in what qualities relative pronouns can be used in subordinate pronouns.

Using That or Who / Which

The relative pronoun that is used only in clauses. It can also be replaced with who (for persons) or which (for items). The word that is often used in colloquial speech, but who and which are more common in written English. For example:

• Spoken English: Robert Burns is a Scottish poet That wrote a lot of wonderful poems and songs in the Scots language and standard English. — Robert Burns — Scottish poet, который wrote many wonderful poems and songs in Scottish dialect and literary English.
• Written, Official English: Robert Burns is a Scottish poet who wrote a lot of wonderful poems and songs in the Scots language and standard English.

Who or That

When describing people, unofficial English allows for both who and that. But when it comes to the characteristics or abilities of a person / group of persons, then it is better to use the relative pronoun that (although the use of who is also allowed):

• She is the kind of woman That always looks charming. — She is one of those women that always look adorable.

If, in the official style, we are talking about a specific person, who is preferable to use:

• The man who won the prize was a cook. — Man, который won a prize, was a cook. 

That or Which

There are several situations in English where that is more appropriate than which. After the pronouns many, few, all, little, much, every (thing) and any (thing), you should use exactly that:

• There are many ways That may help him resolve this complex issue. — There are many ways in which he can solve this difficult issue.

A superlative noun also requires the relative pronoun that:

• This is the most beautiful car That he has ever seen. “This is the most beautiful car he has ever seen.

Source: https://skyeng.ru/articles/5-glavnyh-pravil-upotrebleniya-otnositelnyh-mestoimenij-v-anglijskom

In Russian about Relative Clause. Grammar, examples and exercises

Elizaveta Morozova

Heading: Grammar

Hello my dear readers.

When you hear the phrase «Relative Clause» — what do you think about? Russian people who do not like to litter their heads with all sorts of terms will not immediately find an answer. But if you hint at the words that, which or who, which are often found in the texts, they immediately understand what will be discussed.

:

1. What is this?
2. An important rule
3. Examples of using who, which, that
4. Exercises

Yes, subordinate clauses, or grammar relative clauses: — the topic of today’s conversation. I will try to tell you in the simplest way what is used, how and for what. We will also look at the translation and defining words that are used in this rule. At the end, we will definitely consolidate the knowledge gained with exercises.

Let’s start?

What is it and how to use it?

Relative clause — or in Russian the attributive subordinate clause is part of a complex sentence that depends on the main one. It usually combines two small sentences into one, or just adds new interesting information to make it clearer, let’s see an example.

I have a mother who works as a doctor. — I have a mother who works as a doctor.

I missed the bus that was going to take me to church. — I missed the bus that was supposed to take me to church.

What does the rule tell us?

The rule states that in English, definitive subordinate clauses can be either identifying (restrictive) or non-identifying (propagative).

Simply put, the former define something important in the sentence, the latter do not. Usually, non-identifying sentences can be separated by commas and, accordingly, thrown out of the sentence.

For example:

This is the new computer that I bought yesterday. — This is a new computer that I bought yesterday.

Source: https://lizasenglish.ru/grammatika/o-relative-clause.html

Who Which That: Terms of Use

Translate into English: «This is the house that Jack built.»
What word do you translate «which»? Which? Or that? Or who ?!

It is easy to get lost in these words from habit. Dealing with them is even easier.

Source: https://corp.lingualeo.com/ru/2017/10/12/who-which-that/