# which

/ˈhwɪtʃ/ (US) · /wˈɪtʃ/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Pronoun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/which
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

used to ask about or point to a specific person or thing from a small group. You use it when there are limited choices available.

For teachers: an interrogative or relative pronoun used to refer to one or more people or things from a definite set. Often introduces a non-restrictive relative clause when following a comma.

## Examples

- Which color do you prefer, blue or red?
- The manager asked which of the candidates had the most experience with digital marketing tools.
- The report, which was published late last night, details several significant errors in the previous year's financial projections that had gone unnoticed by the board.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The car who I bought is fast." but "The car which I bought is fast." — Use 'which' or 'that' for objects and animals; 'who' is reserved for people.

## Usage notes

- As a relative pronoun, it typically introduces non-defining clauses and is preceded by a comma; 'that' is preferred for defining clauses in many style guides.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.