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 the meaning of the sentence and is not set off by commas.

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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 to its meaning. It is 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 brother, who lives in New York, 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 checking if the sentence loses its meaning without it. If it does, it's restrictive.

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How do you identify a non-restrictive clause?

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A non-restrictive clause can be identified by the presence of commas. If the sentence still makes sense without it, it's non-restrictive.

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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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Why are restrictive clauses important?

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They provide essential information that helps to clarify which noun is being referred to.

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Why are non-restrictive clauses useful?

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They provide additional information that can enhance the reader's understanding without changing the main point.