That vs. Which

That vs. Which That vs. Which That vs. Which By Ali Hale One of our readers, Justin, recently wrote to ask: When proofreading a peers article on the solar system, I realized that she, and I, are unsure of the proper use of that and which in a sentence. Below is [SIC] two examples of the same sentence, one using that and the other which. To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system which currently sustains life, although several other bodies are under investigation. To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life, although several other bodies are under investigation. Which is the correct sentence, and what is the general rule of thumb? Justin, Ill give you the answer now, rather than making you read to the end of the whole article: the second version of that sentence, using that is correct. When To Use That and When To Use Which Before I come on to the that/which rule, just a reminder that â€Å"who† should always be used when referring to people. The boy who threw the ball. This is the woman who always wears a black shawl. When referring to objects, though, the rule for using â€Å"that† and â€Å"which† correctly is simple: THAT should be used to introduce a restrictive clause. WHICH should be used to introduce a non-restrictive or parenthetical clause. If that leaves you more confused than when you began this article, read on A restrictive clause is one which is essential to the meaning of a sentence – if it’s removed, the meaning of the sentence will change. For example: Chairs that don’t have cushions are uncomfortable to sit on. Card games that involve betting money should not be played in school. To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life A non-restrictive clause can be left out without changing the meaning of a sentence. Non-restrictive clauses are either in brackets or have a comma before and after them (or only before them if they come at the end of a sentence): Chairs, which are found in many places of work, are often uncomfortable to sit on. I sat on an uncomfortable chair, which was in my office. Why You Need to Use That or Which Correctly Changing that to which or vice versa can completely change the meaning of a sentence. Consider the following examples: My car that is blue goes very fast. My car, which is blue, goes very fast. The first sentence uses that – suggesting I own more than one car (and even implying my other cars might not be so fast). This is what happens if we leave out the clause and write: My car that is blue goes very fast. My car goes very fast. The sentence’s meaning has changed: the reader does not know which one of my cars goes very fast. However, the sentence using which simply informs the reader that my car is blue. We can take the clause out without losing any essential information: My car, which is blue, goes very fast. My car goes very fast. That and Which in Common Usage It is common today for which to be used with both non-restrictive and restrictive clauses, especially in informal contexts: Who ate the cake that I bought this morning? Who ate the cake which I bought this morning? The clause â€Å"that I bought this morning† is essential to the meaning – I’m not asking about a cake which I bought yesterday, or this afternoon. Therefore, the first example using â€Å"that† is the correct one, but many people would not consider the second ungrammatical. It is, however, incorrect even in informal contexts to use that for a non-restrictive or parenthical clause. For example, these sentences would be considered incorrect: This computer, that I have never liked, is very slow. The blue desk, that my father gave me. An easy way to watch out for these is to look for instances where you have a comma followed by the word that. If Id know this years ago, it would have saved me a lot of frustration with Microsoft Word! Even though the usage of which has been relaxed to some extent, it is still better to keep your writing as clear as possible by using which for only non-restrictive clauses, and that for restrictive ones. So, to return to Justins example: To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system which currently sustains life, although several other bodies are under investigation. To our knowledge, it is the only body in the solar system that currently sustains life, although several other bodies are under investigation. The second sentence, using that is correct, but many people would consider the first sentence permissible too. In a formal context such as a scientific paper, it is better to use that for total clarity. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Slang Terms for MoneyDo you "orient" yourself, or "orientate" yourself?Neither... or?

Dumont Surname Meaning and Family History

Dumont Surname Meaning and Family History Dumont is a French topographical surname meaning from the mountain, from the Old French du mont, meaning of the mount. Dumont is the 46th most common last name in France. Dumond is a common variant. Surname Origin: French Alternate Surname Spellings: DUMOND, DUMONTE, DUMONDE, DUMONTET Famous People with the Surname Dumont Alberto Santos-Dumont -  Brazilian aviation pioneerEleanore Dumont  - one of the first known professional blackjack players in America; known by the pseudonym Madame MoustacheJean-Franà §ois-Benjamin  Dumont  de Montigny - officer in the French colonial military; Louisiana historianAllen Balcom DuMont - American electronics engineer,  scientist  and  inventorGabriel Dumont  - Canadian indigenous leader of the Mà ©tis peopleJules Dumont dUrville  - French naval officer and explorerMargaret Dumont (born Daisy Juliette Baker) - American stage and film actress Where the Dumont  Surname Is Most Common According to surname distribution from  Forebears, the Dumont surname is most prevalent in France, where it ranks 57th most common in the nation, but there are more Dumonts in Belgium (ranked 40th) based on the percentage of the population. Dumont is also fairly common in other countries with French-speaking populations, such as Canada (342nd) and the Ivory Coast (432nd). Surname maps from  WorldNames PublicProfiler  indicate the Dumont surname is especially common along the border of France and Belgium, including the French regions of Picardie, Haute-Normandie, and Nord-Pas-de-Calais, plus the Belgium region of Wallonie. Dumont is also somewhat common in Luxembourg, Canada, and Switzerland. As it is of French origin, Dumont is also fairly prevalent in Quebec, Canada, as well as the U.S. states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Dumont French Surname Meanings and Origins: Does your last name have origins in France? Learn about the various origins of French surnames and explore the meanings of some of the most common French last names.How to Research French Ancestry: Learn about the various types of genealogical records available for researching ancestors in France and how to access them, plus how to locate where in France your ancestors originated.Dumont Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Dumont  family crest or coat of arms for the Dumont surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.DUMONT  Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Dumont  surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Dumont query.FamilySearch - DUMONT Genealogy: Explore over 700,000  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Dumont surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. DistantCousin.com - DUMONT  Genealogy Family History: Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Dumont.GeneaNet - Dumont  Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Dumont surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.The Dumont Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Dumont  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. References Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.