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'Witch' is a person who practises magic; 'which' is the pronoun used in questions and relative clauses.
Side-by-side comparison
"Witch" is a person who practises magic or witchcraft, especially in folklore and fairy tales. "Witch hunt" = a pursuit of people for alleged wrongdoing, often unfairly.
The fairy tale featured a wicked witch who lived in a forest tower.
The Halloween costume turned her into a classic pointed-hat witch.
The witch in the story was actually the hero, not the villain.
"Which" is used to ask about a choice or to introduce a relative clause about things or animals. "Which one do you prefer?" = which option is your choice? "The book which I read" = the one I read.
Which version of the document should I send, the draft or the final?
The report which you submitted yesterday has been approved.
I am not sure which option is better for the long term.
Common mistake
- •Writing error: "Witch one do you prefer?" (correct: Which one).
- •Confusion comes from the near-identical sound and shared initial W.
Trick to remember it
- •"Witch" has IT in the middle, it belongs to Halloween.
- •"Which" starts with WH like all other question words: who, what, when, where, why, if it asks a question, it starts with WH.
Quick rule
Is it the folkloric person with magical powers? "Witch." Is it the question or relative pronoun? "Which", it belongs to the WH-question family.
Did you know?
The Salem trials of 1692 in Massachusetts are the most famous historical episode of witchcraft accusations in North America: they led to the execution of twenty people and the imprisonment of more than two hundred. Arthur Miller wrote the play "The Crucible" (1953) based on these events, but as a direct allegory for the McCarthyism of 1950s America, political persecution disguised as moral investigation. The expression "witch hunt" in modern English means exactly that: a campaign of persecution based on exaggerated or false accusations, with little room for defense.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
_____ option would you prefer — the window seat or the aisle?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The children dressed up as ghosts and _____ es for Halloween.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy