Grammar choices

That vs. Which

In American English, use that for information the sentence needs, with no commas: the car that I bought. Use which, set off by commas, for extra information: my car, which is blue, needs gas.

Word	Part of speech	Meaning
that	pronoun	introduces a clause that identifies which person or thing you mean, with no commas around it
which	pronoun	introduces extra, nonessential information about a noun, usually set off with commas
which	determiner	asks about one or more choices from a known group

That

pronoun: introduces a clause that identifies which person or thing you mean, with no commas around it

The book that you lent me was great.
Please return the shoes that don't fit.

Which

pronoun: introduces extra, nonessential information about a noun, usually set off with commas

Our kitchen, which faces east, gets great morning light.
The bus was late again, which made Lucia miss her class.

determiner: asks about one or more choices from a known group

Which jacket should I take on the trip?
I can't decide which flavor to order.

How to remember the difference

Which comes with commas, like a bubble of bonus facts you could pop out. If removing the clause changes the meaning, use that.

Good to know

Using which without commas for essential information is grammatical and common in British English, and many American writers do it too. Most American style guides, including AP and Chicago, still prefer that in those clauses. For people, who is usually better than either.

Spot the mistake

My phone, ~~that~~ which I bought last year, already has a cracked screen.
Correct: My phone, which I bought last year, already has a cracked screen.

Check yourself

Pick the word that fits each sentence.

1. The jacket I wore yesterday needs to be washed.

2. My grandmother's recipe, uses fresh ginger, won first prize.