…, which surprised everyone

  • B2 · Upper-intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • which for a whole clause

which for a whole idea, to add a comment: Our manager quit on Monday, which surprised everyone. The student reads an email about a week of surprising news at work, tells which for a whole idea from which for one thing, fixes the usual mistakes, and tells a fortunately-unfortunately story with the teacher.

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, whichwhich meanswhich is why

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Reading: what a week!Reading comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the commentsGrammar exercise
  6. 6which for a whole ideaGrammar rule
  7. 7The whole idea or one thing?Grammar exercise
  8. 8which + a verbGrammar exercise
  9. 9Find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  10. 10Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  11. 11Fortunately, unfortunatelySpeaking practice
  12. 12About youGrammar exercise
  13. 13Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: which sentence is correct?Grammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: join the sentencesGrammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: build the sentencesGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: a week that didn't go as plannedDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. What was the most surprising news you heard at work or school this year?
  2. How do you usually share news with your friends: messages, calls, emails or in person?
  3. Have you ever had a manager or a teacher who left suddenly? What happened?

Grammar rule

which for a whole idea

, which = and this, and that

After a comma, which can stand for the whole idea before it, not just the last noun. It adds a comment.

which stands for…ExampleWhat it means
the whole ideaHe forgot our anniversary, which upset me.he forgot, and that upset me
one nounHe forgot our anniversary, which is in June.the anniversary is in June

Common patterns

  • , which means (that)…: The game starts at seven, which means we have an hour.
  • , which is why…: She grew up in Peru, which is why she speaks Spanish.
  • , which was + adjective or noun: The test was easy, which was a nice change.
  • , which + someone + verb: She sang at our wedding, which we will never forget.

Watch out

  • which, not what or that: He passed, what surprised me → He passed, which surprised me.
  • No it or this after which: which it was great → which was great.
  • The whole idea is one thing, so the verb is singular, even after a plural: The kids were quiet all afternoon, which was strange.
  • It always comes after a comma. In speech, people sometimes start a new sentence with Which ("Which is fine."), but in writing, join it to the sentence before.

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