Which

This pronoun as an interrogative applies to persons as well as to things ; as a relative , it is now made to refer to things only . " Which is employed in coördinate sentences, where it , or they , and a conjunction might answer the purpose; thus, 'At school I studied geometry, which (and it) I found useful afterward.' Here the new clause is something independent added to the previous clause, and not limiting that clause in any way. So in the adjectival clause; as, 'He struck the poor dog, which (and it, or although it) had never done him harm.' Such instances represent the most accurate meaning of which . Who and which might be termed the coördinating relatives . " Which is likewise used in restrictive clauses that limit or explain the antecedent; as, 'The house which he built still remains.' Here the clause introduced by which specifies, or points out, the house that is the subject of the statement, namely, by the circumstance that a certain person built it. As remarked with regard to who , our most idiomatic writers prefer that in this particular application, and would say, 'The house that he built still remains.'" " Which sometimes has a special reference attaching to it, as the neuter relative: 'Cæsar cro ed the Rubicon, which was in effect a declaration of war.' The antecedent in this instance is not Rubicon , but the entire clause. "There is a peculiar usage where which may seem to be still regularly used in reference to persons, as in 'John is a soldier, which I should like to be,' that is, 'And I should like to be a soldier .'" See That .