Distinguishing Between Which & What

The primary distinction between the words “which” and “what” is that “which” is generally used when there is a limited choice, while “what” is employed when the choice is larger. Both of these words are common interrogative pronouns in the English language, with “which” originating from the Old English word “hwilc” and “what” from the Old English word “hwæt.”

Key Takeaways

• Which is typically used when there is a limited choice, while what is used when the choice is larger.
• Both which and what can be used with nouns to ask questions and serve as interrogative pronouns.
• Which is derived from the Old English word “hwilc” and what is derived from the Old English word “hwæt.”

What Does Which Mean?

“Which” is often used with nouns to ask questions where there is a limited choice. For example, if your friend gave you several books and asked you, “Which book do you like the most?”, the answer would be one of the books they provided. “Which” can also be used as a determiner, often appearing with a noun in a relative clause, such as in the sentence “He may be late, in which case we have to wait for him.”

What Does What Mean?

“What” can be used with nouns to ask questions with a larger range of possible answers, such as “What game do you want to play now?” or “What musicians do you admire?”. In these cases, the potential responses are more extensive than with questions using “which.”

What are the Similarities Between Which and What?

Both “which” and “what” can be used with nouns to ask questions, serving as interrogative pronouns. Additionally, they can be used without nouns, as in the sentences “Which is better?” and “What is more beautiful between the two?”, where the nouns are replaced by the words “which” and “what,” respectively.

What is the Difference Between Which and What?

The main difference between “which” and “what” is that “which” is generally used when there is a limited choice, while “what” is used when the choice is larger. “Which” is derived from the Old English word “hwilc,” and “what” is derived from the Old English word “hwæt.” Furthermore, “which” can be used as an interrogative pronoun, interrogative determiner, relative pronoun, and relative determiner, while “what” can be used as an interrogative pronoun, determiner, and adverb.