which
Selector among options
As a pronoun introducing a relative clause, which and that are interchangeable – but only when the clause is restrictive and doesn’t refer to a person: the houses which we looked at yesterday, the houses that we looked at yesterday.
In nonrestrictive relative clauses that don’t refer to a person, which is mandatory: The ship, which sank in 1808, was discovered last week.
In other uses as a pronoun or adjective, which relates to specificity: Do you know which bus goes to Norwood? She’s Finnish or Swedish, I can’t remember which.
When which follows a preposition it prevents ending a sentence with one: the town in which we lived vs. the town we lived in.
Objective form of who
- whosePossessive interrogative pronoun
- howAsks about manner
- whateverExpression of apathy
- questionRequest for information
query · ask · inquiry · selection · choice · option · alternative · specify
The other one
- whomObjective form of who
- whosePossessive interrogative pronoun
- clauseProvision in agreement
- antecedentSomething that precedes
referent · modifier · restrictive · nonrestrictive · defining · parenthetical · comma · subordinate
whom
Objective form of who
question · query · ask · inquiry · selection · choice · option · alternative · specify · identify
that
The other one
antecedent · referent · modifier · restrictive · nonrestrictive · defining · parenthetical · comma · subordinate · connect
- which oneQuery identifying a selection
- every which wayIn scattered, disorderly directions
- speaking of whichTransitional phrase linking topics
- any which wayWithout specific direction
- not know which end is upUtterly confused and disoriented
- which side are you on