Defining Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses
Defining and non-defining relative classes are important elements to focus on

when trying to help students improve their writing skills. This lesson focuses on
reviewing the differences between defining and non-defining clauses, and then
goes on to a writing exercise which employs non-defining relative clauses to
expand a basic story outline.
Aim: Using non-defining clauses to improve writing skills
Activity: Two exercises: 1 - adding commas to sentences, 2 - expanding a text

with non-defining clauses
Using Non-Defining Clauses to Improve Writing
Defining Relative Clauses
Defining relative clauses (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive

relative clauses) give detailed information defining a general term or expression.
Defining relative clauses are not put in commas.
Imagine, Tom is in a room with five girls. One girl is talking to Tom and you ask
somebody whether he knows this girl. Here the relative clause defines which of
the five girls you mean.
Do you know the girl who is talking to Tom?
Defining relative clauses are often used in definitions.
A seaman is someone who works on a ship.
Object pronouns in defining relative clauses can be dropped. (Sentences with a

relative clause without the relative pronoun are called Contact Clauses.)
The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.
Examples:
They helped a man who was injured.

I like houses which were built in the 19th century.
In these first example, the defining clause beginning with 'who' tells us which
man we are talking about. In the second example, the defining clause beginning
with 'which' defines what kind of houses I like. Defining relative clauses make
clear which person or thing we are speaking about .
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-

restrictive relative clauses) give additional information on something, but do not
define it. Non-defining relative clauses are put in commas.
Imagine, Tom is in a room with only one girl. The two are talking to each other
and you ask somebody whether he knows this girl. Here the relative clause is
non-defining because in this situation it is obvious which girl you mean.
Do you know the girl, who is talking to Tom?
Note: In non-defining relative clauses, who/which may not be replaced with that.
Object pronouns in non-defining relative clauses must be used.
Jim, who/whom we met yesterday, is very nice.
How to Shorten Relative Clauses?
Relative clauses with who, which, that as subject pronoun can be replaced with

a participle. This makes the sentence shorter and easier to understand.
I told you about the woman who lives next door. – I told you about the
woman living next door.
Do you see the cat which is lying on the roof? – Do you see the cat lying on the
roof?
Non-Defining Clauses
In non-defining relative clauses, the information is not essential to understanding

the sentence, but gives additional information.
Examples:
Mr. Brown, who enjoys going to the theater, has been invited to join our club.
Whiting House, which was built in 1856, is an important local monument.
In the first example, Mr Brown is defined (the man who has been invited to join
our club). The fact that he enjoys going to the theater gives us additional, but not
necessary information. In the second example, the particular house is named
and therefore defined, the year in which the house was built is additional
information.
Punctuation is very important in non-defining clauses. A comma is placed before

the relative pronoun and at the end of the clause.
Exercise 1
Decide whether the following clauses are defining or non-defining clauses. Insert
commas where necessary.
1. The car which was a rare sports coupe was built in 1966.
2. We invited the boy who Tom had met the week before to the party.
3. Our friends who we met at university are coming to visit next week.
4. That is the building where they shot the film 'Vanilla Sky'.
5. Mr Jackson whose son also goes to this school will be attending the party
next weekend.
6. The author's latest book which has become a bestseller is about two
children in Jamaica.
Exercise 2
Work together to expand the following story by using as many non-defining

relative clauses as you can. Feel free to make a funny story!
A man called Peter took an airplane to New York to visit his sister. When he
arrived at the airport, a old man asked him a question. Peter gave a short reply
and the man invited him for a drink. Peter accepted, and after he had the drink,
caught the airplane to New York. When he got to his sister's apartment, his sister
invited him into the living room. As he entered the room, he was surprised to see
the same man.

Defining Relative Clauses

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Defining Relative Clauses

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Defining Relative Clauses

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Defining Relative Clauses

Defining and non-defining relative classes are important elements to focus on

Aim: Using non-defining clauses to improve writing skills

Activity: Two exercises: 1 - adding commas to sentences, 2 - expanding a text

Using Non-Defining Clauses to Improve Writing

Defining Relative Clauses

Defining relative clauses (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive

Do you know the girl who is talking to Tom?

Defining relative clauses are often used in definitions.

A seaman is someone who works on a ship.

Object pronouns in defining relative clauses can be dropped. (Sentences with a

The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.

They helped a man who was injured.

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-

Do you know the girl, who is talking to Tom?

Note: In non-defining relative clauses, who/which may not be replaced with that.

Object pronouns in non-defining relative clauses must be used.

Jim, who/whom we met yesterday, is very nice.

How to Shorten Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses with who, which, that as subject pronoun can be replaced with

In non-defining relative clauses, the information is not essential to understanding

Punctuation is very important in non-defining clauses. A comma is placed before

Work together to expand the following story by using as many non-defining

You might also like