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 u use each pronoun and the difference between the two types of relative clauses

1 answer

The relative pronoun "that" is used with essential (or restrictive) clauses, which provide information that is crucial to the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence "The book that I borrowed was fascinating," the clause "that I borrowed" specifies which book is being discussed, so the meaning is incomplete without it. In contrast, "which" is used with nonessential (or non-restrictive) clauses, which add extra information that can be omitted without changing the sentence's overall meaning. For instance, in "The book, which I borrowed last week, was fascinating," the clause "which I borrowed last week" offers additional detail but is not necessary for identifying the book being referred to.