grammar · neutral
relative pronoun referring to whole clause: which (refers to the previous idea)
Which can refer back to an entire preceding clause or idea (not just a noun), often to add a comment or show result.
Examples
“He missed the bus, which made him late for the meeting.”
“They raised prices, which annoyed many customers.”
“Incorrect: He failed the exam which surprised everyone.”
Band 8 sentence
“The committee rejected the proposal, which, given the evidence, was unsurprising.”
Collocations
- which made
- which meant
Common mistakes
He didn't submit his essay which surprised the teacher.→He didn't submit his essay, which surprised the teacher.
They cancelled the event which was disappointing.→They cancelled the event, which was disappointing.
Say it for a higher band
5omit comma before which (wrong)→6use that for noun reference→7+use which to refer to whole clause with comma
Easily confused
which (clause reference)
“He lost his job, which meant he had to move back home.”
that (noun reference)
“The book that I bought is new.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Relative clauses
Learn it with its set