Do you sometimes wonder whether to use that or which in a sentence? In many cases, in British English, both words are equally correct.

你是不是經常想要弄明白that和which在句中有什么區別?在英式英語中的一些使用場景中，這兩個詞都是正確的。

?She held out the hand which was hurt.

?She held out the hand that was hurt.

她伸出那只受傷的手。

In these sentences, that and which are introducing what’s known as a restrictive relative clause. This is a clause containing essential information about the noun that comes before it. If you leave out this type of clause, the meaning of the sentence is affected –indeed, it will probably not make much sense at all. Restrictive relative clauses can be introduced by that, which, whose, who, or whom.

在上面兩個句子中，that和which用于連接限定性定語從句。限定性定語從句用于修飾主句中的某個名詞性成分。如果去掉限定性定語從句，那么句子的含義將受到影響(如：句子將失去原有的意義)。限定性定語從句可由that，which，who，whom連接。

The other type of relative clause is known as a non-restrictive relative clause. This kind of clause contains extra information that could be left out of the sentence without affecting the meaning or structure. Non-restrictive clauses can be introduced by which, whose, who, or whom, but you should never use that to introduce them. For example:

另外一種定語從句是非限定性定語從句。非限定性定語從句包含附加的信息，去掉從句部分對主句的含義和結構不構成影響。非限定性定語從句的關系詞可以為which，whose，who和whom。但不可以使用that來連接非限定性定語從句，例如：

A list of contents would have made it easier to steer through the book, which also lacks a map.

一個目錄列表使得概覽這本書更容易，但這本書仍然缺少一個示意圖。

She held out her hand, which Rob shook.

她伸出了手，這只手之前被羅伯搖動過。

Note that a non-restrictive clause is preceded by a comma (so as to set off the extra information), whereas no comma should precede a restrictive clause (indicating that the information is essential, not extra):

注意,非限定性定語從句之前有一個逗號(從而引出附加的信息),而限制性從句前沒有逗號(說明從句信息是重要的,且不可以省略):

I bought a new dress, which I will be wearing to Jo's party. [non-restrictive]

我買了一條新裙子，我將穿著它參加喬的派對。[非限定性定語從句]

I was wearing the dress that I bought to wear to Jo's party. [restrictive]

我買了一條新裙子并將穿著它參加喬的派對。[限定性定語從句]

Do you sometimes wonder whether to use that or which in a sentence? In many cases, in British English, both words are equally correct.

你是不是經常想要弄明白that和which在句中有什么區別?在英式英語中的一些使用場景中，這兩個詞都是正確的。

?She held out the hand which was hurt.

?She held out the hand that was hurt.

她伸出那只受傷的手。

In these sentences, that and which are introducing what’s known as a restrictive relative clause. This is a clause containing essential information about the noun that comes before it. If you leave out this type of clause, the meaning of the sentence is affected –indeed, it will probably not make much sense at all. Restrictive relative clauses can be introduced by that, which, whose, who, or whom.

在上面兩個句子中，that和which用于連接限定性定語從句。限定性定語從句用于修飾主句中的某個名詞性成分。如果去掉限定性定語從句，那么句子的含義將受到影響(如：句子將失去原有的意義)。限定性定語從句可由that，which，who，whom連接。

The other type of relative clause is known as a non-restrictive relative clause. This kind of clause contains extra information that could be left out of the sentence without affecting the meaning or structure. Non-restrictive clauses can be introduced by which, whose, who, or whom, but you should never use that to introduce them. For example:

另外一種定語從句是非限定性定語從句。非限定性定語從句包含附加的信息，去掉從句部分對主句的含義和結構不構成影響。非限定性定語從句的關系詞可以為which，whose，who和whom。但不可以使用that來連接非限定性定語從句，例如：

A list of contents would have made it easier to steer through the book, which also lacks a map.

一個目錄列表使得概覽這本書更容易，但這本書仍然缺少一個示意圖。

She held out her hand, which Rob shook.

她伸出了手，這只手之前被羅伯搖動過。

Note that a non-restrictive clause is preceded by a comma (so as to set off the extra information), whereas no comma should precede a restrictive clause (indicating that the information is essential, not extra):

注意,非限定性定語從句之前有一個逗號(從而引出附加的信息),而限制性從句前沒有逗號(說明從句信息是重要的,且不可以省略):

I bought a new dress, which I will be wearing to Jo's party. [non-restrictive]

我買了一條新裙子，我將穿著它參加喬的派對。[非限定性定語從句]

I was wearing the dress that I bought to wear to Jo's party. [restrictive]

我買了一條新裙子并將穿著它參加喬的派對。[限定性定語從句]