Which

Understanding "Which"

"Which" is used to talk about a specific thing or things from a group that we already know about. It's often used in non-defining (or non-restrictive) relative clauses, where it adds extra info about a noun without changing the main meaning of the sentence.

Examples of Using "Which"

• When you're talking about a specific thing in a group: "The book, which I read last week, was really good." (Here, "which I read last week" gives more details about "the book.")
• In questions to pick one from many: "Which cake would you like?" (Asking to choose a specific cake from several options.)

Role in Conversation

• To add more info: "He missed the bus, which means he'll be late." (The part "which means he'll be late" adds details about what missing the bus causes.)
• Asking for specific details: "Which way is the quickest to downtown?" 🗺️

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Incorrect Use of "That":
   • ❌ Incorrect: "The car that was blue caught my eye."
   • ✅ Correct: "The car, which was blue, caught my eye."
2. Misuse in Specifying:
   • ❌ Incorrect: "Which you prefer is not available."
   • ✅ Correct: "What you prefer is not available."
3. Wrong Placement in a Sentence:
   • ❌ Incorrect: "The movie was great, which I saw last night."
   • ✅ Correct: "The movie, which I saw last night, was great."
4. Confusing "Which" with "Who":
   • ❌ Incorrect: "She is the one which helped me."
   • ✅ Correct: "She is the one who helped me."
5. Misuse in Non-restrictive Clauses:
   • ❌ Incorrect: "My bike that has a broken seat, is in the garage."
   • ✅ Correct: "My bike, which has a broken seat, is in the garage."