Difference between "which" and "that"

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>K, so this is the question. It's from the 2008-09 official practice test.</p>

<p>A poetic form congenial to Robert Browning was the dramatic <em>monologue, it let him explore</em> a character's mind without the simplifications demanded by stage productions.</p>

<p>B) monologue, which let him explore
C) monologue that lets him explore</p>

<p>So that's what I had left after some process of elimination. Can someone explain to me why the answer is B and what's the difference in the usage of "which" and "that"?</p>

2

<p>The original sentence uses the past tense (<em>was</em>), so ‘lets’, which is present tense, is a change of tense and is therefore incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is B.</p>

<p>In regards to your “which vs that” question, here’s what an article says:

[World</a> Wide Words: Which versus that](<a href=“http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/which.htm]World”>Which versus that)</p>

<p>In the absence of other information, both “which” and “that” would work in this sentence; the difference was that B had the correct verb tense.</p>

3

<p>In simple, Use which after a comma and that without a comma; this rule can be applicable on the SAT since that is that is what they test you on basically.</p>

4

<p>Thanks you guys!</p>

<p>Haha, I guess I got caught up with the “which” and “that” that (:D) I didn’t realize it was a verb tense error.</p>

5

<p>I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a “which/that” writing question. Is that commonly tested?</p>

6

<p>I can’t imagine they would test it. The link Joshtch provided is in conflict with some other grammar sources I’ve referenced; there is not concensus on the usage.</p>

<p>In accordance with the most liberal guideline, “which” can always replace “that.” (The reverse is not, however, necessarily true. “That” cannot act as a relative pronoun for nonessential adjective clauses.)</p>

7

<p>The event took place in the past so it must be “let” not lets… Lets is so ****ed up as a verb.</p>

<p>lets = present</p>

<p>let = past or present</p>

8

<p>yeah, as you realized, which and that really isn’t the issue here at all. good call.</p>