Is it correct to say “don’t forget about the ingredients which may be hiding under the ice”?
Hello Fresh boxes have a cardboard insert thingy with the words “don’t forget about the ingredients which may be hiding under the ice”.
I’m curious… is that correct grammar or would it be more correct to use that may be hiding, as opposed to which may be hiding?
Either way works.
“Which“: This is often used when you’re adding a bit of extra detail that’s not crucial to the main point. Think of it as an aside or bonus info. In the context of a Hello Fresh box, using “which” (as in “ingredients which may be hiding”) is like saying: “Keep an eye out for ingredients, and oh, some of them might be under the ice.” The main point is about not forgetting ingredients, and their potential location under the ice is just additional info.
“That“: This one is used when the information following it is really important to understand what you’re talking about. It’s more specific. So, if you say “ingredients that may be hiding,” it means the crucial thing to remember is specifically those ingredients hiding under the ice. It’s like you’re saying: “Pay special attention to the ingredients under the ice.”
To summarize:
- Use “which” when the extra detail is nice to know but not essential.
- Use “that” when the detail is key to understanding what you’re specifically referring to.
In your case, both work, but they put a slightly different spin on what you’re focusing on: the ingredients in general (“which”) vs. the specific ones under the ice (“that”).
Hope this clears things up!
