Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses

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What is a restrictive clause?

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A restrictive clause is a part of a sentence that provides essential information about the noun it modifies. It is necessary for understanding the meaning of the sentence and does not have commas around it.

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What is a non-restrictive clause?

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A non-restrictive clause adds extra information to a sentence but is not essential for understanding its meaning. It is usually set off by commas.

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Example of a restrictive clause in a sentence.

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The book that I borrowed from the library is fascinating.

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Example of a non-restrictive clause in a sentence.

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My sister, who lives in California, is visiting us next week.

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How do you identify a restrictive clause?

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A restrictive clause can be identified by the absence of commas and its necessity for the sentence's meaning.

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How do you identify a non-restrictive clause?

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A non-restrictive clause is identified by the presence of commas and its ability to be removed without changing the sentence's core meaning.

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What punctuation is used with non-restrictive clauses?

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Non-restrictive clauses are set off by commas.

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What punctuation is used with restrictive clauses?

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Restrictive clauses do not use commas.

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What is the main difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses?

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The main difference is that restrictive clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence and do not have commas, while non-restrictive clauses add extra information and are set off by commas.

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Which word often introduces restrictive clauses?

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Restrictive clauses often begin with 'that' or 'who'.