“That,” “Which,” and the Future of Your Wallet

The words that and which give readers crucial signals about information. Here’s an example:

Google Wallet [is a mobile application; consumers use it by waving] their cellphones at a retailer’s terminal to make a payment instead of using a credit card…. The mobile wallet will work at any of the 124,000 merchants [who] accept MasterCard’s PayPass terminals, which take contactless payments, and more than 300,000 merchants outside the United States.

“Google Unveils App for Paying with Phone”

— Tara Siegel Bernard, nytimes.com, May 26, 2011

The word “which” in the quote signals that Google’s app will work at all PayPass terminals. If the sentence read, “terminals that take contactless payments,” then the reader would have no idea whether this new app worked at all PayPass terminals, or only the ones at 124,000 unnamed stores.

You can convey information precisely by always observing these guidelines for using that and which. You can also use these guidelines to build and maintain your reputation as a careful, knowledgeable, reliable business writer.

Write It Well’s newly updated book Essential Grammar includes further tips on correct pronoun usage as well as nuances of English such as who vs. that that help your writing look especially impressive. The book is a thorough review of the fundamental grammar you need to project a credible, polished, professional image through your writing.