I keep on getting confused... and I am a native English speaker.. -__-
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a novel by Cason McCullers (which/that) deals with the pain of isolated existence from society.
If both can be used, what sounds or looks grammatically better?
2007-10-28 20:59:29 · 6 answers · asked by redjjo 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I was taught that if 'that/which/who' introduced a descriptive clause, then use 'which/who' - if a limiting clause, use 'that'. Example:
The girls that are going to the ball are wearing long dresses. In this sentence, the suggestion is that other girls (not wearing long dresses) are NOT going to the ball. This is a limiting clause.
The girls, who are wearing long dresses, are going to the ball. Here, the bit about long dresses is descriptive rather than limiting and it can be assumed that all the girls under discussion are going to the ball.
2007-10-28 22:28:57 · answer #1 · answered by JJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I disagree with most of the other answerers. I think in your sentence you should use the word "that."
You might try rewriting the sentence to eliminate the doubt, to say "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, a novel by Cason McCullers, deals with the pain of ....."
2007-10-29 11:43:04 · answer #2 · answered by Teresa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is used for people or animals
eg: The guy that greeted me was around your age.
Every dog that had a colar has been accounted for.
Which is used for the rest, mostly objects:
e.g: This is the table which I previously mentioned to you.
2007-10-29 08:34:27 · answer #3 · answered by Vera 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find explanations on the use of "which" and "that" on the following sites:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/which.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/notorious/that.htm
They will provide you with accurate and detailed information.
Michael Quinion's article cannot be bettered so I am giving you his own words.
2007-10-29 05:05:27 · answer #4 · answered by WISE OWL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're writing in an essay, "which" sounds more formal and eloquent. I'm not sure if it's necessarily *wrong* to say "that," and in conversation we almost always use "that" instead of "which." For something more formal, however, "which" is better. Hope this helps. :)
2007-10-29 04:04:51 · answer #5 · answered by kaitlyne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe in your sentence its which. Its more grammatically correct.
2007-10-29 04:07:00 · answer #6 · answered by grayjj04 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋