The relative pronoun "that" is used in essential or restrictive clauses, which provide crucial and necessary information to the meaning of the sentence. These clauses cannot be removed without changing the intended meaning or understanding of the sentence. "That" is preferred over "which" in formal writing when introducing essential clauses.
On the other hand, the relative pronoun "which" is used in nonessential or nonrestrictive clauses, which provide additional, non-crucial information that can be omitted without affecting the main idea of the sentence. These clauses are set off by commas or parentheses. "Which" is usually used in non-restrictive clauses when making general statements or providing extra details.
For example:
1. "The book that I borrowed from the library was interesting." (essential clause)
2. "The book, which I borrowed from the library, was interesting." (nonessential clause)
In the first sentence, the use of "that" indicates that the information about which book is borrowed is essential to understanding the sentence. In the second sentence, the use of "which" signals that the information about borrowing the book is additional and not crucial to understanding the sentence's main idea.
The relative pronoun that is used with an essential clause, and the relative pronoun which is used with a nonessential clause. In 3-5 sentences, explain when to use each pronoun and the difference between the two types of relative clauses
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