On Being Edited

[faustus]

Is there some rule which that governs the use of "that" and "which" "that" "which" (dammit), that says that "that" is the word that is to be used rather than "which"?

I have a horrible feeling that someone might mention intrangient verbs to me. Or something.

Comments

[buffysquirrel.livejournal.com]

In relative clauses, use "which" after a comma and "that" where there is no comma.

She ate the apple, which was red and juicy.

She ate the apple that had fallen from the tree.

[drasecretcampus.livejournal.com]

I'll dig out some actual examples tomorrow, but for the sake of argument why make:

She ate the apple which was red and juicy.

into:

She ate the apple that was red and juicy.

rather than

She ate the apple, which was red and juicy.?

Is there a reason for changing the word not the comma?

[buffysquirrel.livejournal.com]

You want reasons?

Erm...it's the English language. It doesn't do reasons.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

Something I didn't know I didn't know -- have been doing it by instinct (and look at lemmings).
Best grammar site with flash quiz evah: http://web.ku.edu/%7Eedit/which.html

[dalmeny]

IIRC, there is a hard-and-fast rule in US English but not in UK English.

[maryread.livejournal.com]

This is one I am quite sure I don't know. Explanations at the back of my mind vary, one having to do with the animate or inanimate object, which sounds bogus, and another with either a clause formation or a part of speech that escapes me.

Having learned my language by ear and usage but not from grammar books. Hey look, no hands.

[pennski.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the "animate and inanimate" except I tend to plump for "which" more often than "that" for no very good reason at all. And then "word" complains at me.

[maryread.livejournal.com]

Try replacing one with the other. Sometimes it works, sometimes it needs a comma, sometimes it makes a different sentence, as above in "that sounds bogus" which turns into a clause all on its lonesome and if not treated as such punctuationally will make a run-on sentence. (I would put in a comma before "which" in the previous sentence except I already used up all the commas allowed in the first series of parallel constructions. Not even a semicolon can get me out of that.) Digging ever deeper...