As I’m sure everybody now knows, we’re having some serious problems here.
The technical word for it is “screwed.”
General Questions is totally non functioning. The other forums seem to be all right – so far – but I’m not making any promises.
As our techs work to get things happening, we ask for your patience.
We’re trying to get things back to normal – or what passes for normal around here – soonest.
Thanks.
your humble TubaDiva/SDStaffDiv
for the Straight Dope
OH, GREAT–the day I post a GQ question I really need an answer to . . .
Lemme try here: can anyone tell me in words a 5-year-old could understand the difference between “which” and “that?” As in “It was the role which won her an Oscar” and “It was the role that won her an Oscar?”
Please don’t tell me to read the Chicago Manual of Style, I couldn’t make head or tail of it.
Thanks! Now, watch THIS board go down, too . . .
I answered this in your other thread but obviously you can’t read it there, so…
Use “that” if you are specifying one of a number of things: “the lawnmower that is broken is in the garage.” (tells which one)
Use “which” if you are adding information about a particular one: “The lawnmower, which is broken, is in the garage.” (adds a fact about the only lawnmower in question)
In general, a clause that uses “which” will also be set off with commas as above.
Live a Lush Life
Da Chef