Which or Witch?

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Which" and "Witch"?

"Which" and "witch" are easy to confuse because they sound identical (i.e., they are perfect homonyms). However, their meanings are very different.
  • "Which" is used to ask a question or to present additional information. For example:
    • Which is best? correct tick
    • Which team is won? correct tick
    • They made lasagne, which I love. correct tick
  • "Witch" is a woman who performs magic with spells and potions. For example:
    • A witches is commonly portrayed to have wrinkled skin, pimples, and pointy hats. correct tick
which or witch?

Which

"Which" is used to request specifying information (i.e., to ask a question) or to give specifying information.

(When "which" is used to ask a question, it will be an interrogative pronoun or an interrogative determiner. When it is used to give information, it will be a relative pronoun.)

Example sentences with "which":
  • Which are acceptable? correct tick
    • (Here, "which" is an interrogative pronoun.)
  • Which country held last year's contest? correct tick
    • (Here, "which" is an interrogative adjective that modifies "country.")
  • The front wheel fell off Paul's new car, which he was driving at the time. correct tick
    • (Here, "which" is being used as a relative pronoun.)
  • Fortune, which has a great deal of power in other matters but especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces. correct tick (Julius Caesar)
    • (Here, "which" is being used as a relative pronoun.)
The big question with "which" is whether to precede it with a comma or not. Read more about using commas with which.

Witch

"Witch" means a woman who performs magic using spells, potions, and the invocation of spirits.

("Witch" is a noun.)

Example sentences with "witch":
  • Probably the most obvious characteristic of a witch is the ability to cast a spell. correct tick
  • From 1645-1663, about eighty people throughout England's Massachusetts Bay Colony were accused of being witches. correct tick

Ways to Remember

Only a "witch" can get an "itch."

Wh-Pronouns

"Which" is one of the wh-pronouns. The wh-pronouns are either interrogative pronouns or relative pronouns. Other common ones are:
  • what
  • where
  • when
  • who
  • whom
  • whose

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are relative pronouns? What are interrogative pronouns? What are pronous? List of easily confused words