LoginRestrictive and Non-restrictive Clauses
In this lesson we learn about restrictive and non-restrictive clauses, which are essential parts of a sentence that provide essential or additional information about a noun. Clear explanations and practice exercises to help you learn.
What Are Restrictive and Non-restrictive Structures?
A restrictive clause, also known as an essential clause, defines or restricts the meaning of the noun or pronoun it modifies and is necessary to the sentence's meaning. It provides essential information that is needed to identify the person, place, or thing being referred to.
A non-restrictive clause, also known as a non-essential clause, provides additional but non-essential information about the noun or pronoun it modifies. It is not necessary to the sentence's meaning and can be removed without changing the sentence's overall meaning.
Relative Clauses as Restrictive Clauses
A restrictive relative clause provides essential information that limits or defines the noun it modifies. Such clauses are necessary to the meaning of the sentence, and removing them would lead to loss of meaning or clarity. Here are some examples:
People who exercise regularly are healthier.
The clause "who exercise regularly" is restrictive because it specifies which people the sentence is talking about.
The man who invited you to my birthday party is my uncle.
If you remove the relative clause from this sentence (The man is my uncle), it would not be clear which man is the speaker's uncle.
Those books which are on the seventh shelf are supposed to be sent to Amanda.
Relative Clauses as Non-restrictive Clauses
Relative clauses can sometimes include non-essential information about a noun, and in these cases, they are set off by commas. Removing such clauses from the sentence will not affect the sentence's meaning or grammatical correctness. Here are a few examples:
The Eiffel Tower, which is located in Paris, is a popular tourist destination.
The clause "which is located in Paris" adds additional detail but isn't necessary for identifying the Eiffel Tower.
These nice people, who are college graduates, are all friends of mine.
American English or British English?
In American English, 'that' is considered a restrictive relative pronoun and does not require a comma, while 'which' is typically considered non-restrictive and requires a comma. However, in British English, "which" can be used for both restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses. It is important to note that the rules for using "that" remain the same in both American and British English.
Punctuation Rules
Keep in mind that restrictive relative clauses are not set off by commas, this means that they do not need any commas on either side. On the other hand, non-restrictive relative clauses are used between two commas when they are used in the middle of the sentence and preceded by a comma when they are used at the end of the sentence. Here are a few examples:
The girl whose eyes are ocean blue is the one who killed Sarah.
A restrictive clause does not need any commas.
I called John, who wasn't invited to the party anyway.
A non-restrictive clause used at the end of the sentence, preceded by a comma.
My friend, whose car is blue, passed the test easily.
A non-restrictive clause used in the middle of the sentence.
Quiz:
What is the main difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses?
Non-restrictive clauses cannot modify nouns, while restrictive clauses can.
Restrictive clauses provide essential information, while non-restrictive clauses add non-essential information.
Restrictive clauses are always set off by commas, while non-restrictive clauses are not.
A restrictive clause can be removed from the sentence but non-restrictive clauses cannot.
Sort the words to form a sentence using a restrictive clause.
Fill the blanks with the correct words based on information from the lesson. (There are three extra options.)
A restrictive clause restricts or defines the
or pronoun it modifies.
A non-restrictive clause provides
information about the noun or pronoun it modifies.
clauses and are not separated by commas.
A restrictive clause
be removed without changing the meaning.
When a non-restrictive relative clause is used in the middle of a sentence, it must be surrounded by
s.
Fill in the table below by categorizing the clauses based on whether they are restrictive or non-restrictive.
The man who fixed the car is my brother. | |
Her brother, who is a doctor, works in the city. | |
His dog, which loves to play fetch, is very energetic. | |
Students who study well usually get good grades. | |
The book that is on the table belongs to Sarah. | |
Alice, who has a lot of experience, is our manager. |
True or False: "In American English, 'which' is used for restrictive clauses, and 'that' is used for non-restrictive clauses."
True
False
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