Relative Clauses: Defining vs. Non-Defining - Rules and Examples for ESL

📚 Relative Clauses: Defining vs. Non-Defining - Your Ultimate Guide

Relative clauses add extra information to a noun in a sentence. There are two main types: defining and non-defining. Knowing the difference is key for clear and accurate writing!

Quick Study Guide

• 🔑 Defining Relative Clauses (Essential):
  • 🎯 Provides essential information to identify the noun.
  • 🚫 Cannot be removed without changing the sentence's meaning.
  • 🔗 Introduced by: *who, whom, whose, which, that*.
  • ✏️ No commas are used.
• 📌 Non-Defining Relative Clauses (Non-Essential):
  • ➕ Adds extra, non-essential information about the noun.
  • ✂️ Can be removed without changing the sentence's core meaning.
  • 🔗 Introduced by: *who, whom, whose, which*. (*that* is NOT used).
  • ✍️ Always separated by commas.

Practice Quiz

1. Which sentence uses a defining relative clause correctly?
   1. A. My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor.
   2. B. The book, which I borrowed from the library, is overdue.
   3. C. The man who robbed the bank has been caught.
   4. D. My car, which is very old, still runs well.
2. Which relative pronoun is NOT used to introduce non-defining relative clauses?
   1. A. Who
   2. B. Which
   3. C. That
   4. D. Whose
3. Which sentence uses a non-defining relative clause correctly?
   1. A. The house that is on the corner is for sale.
   2. B. The dog, which is barking loudly, belongs to my neighbor.
   3. C. The student who studies hard will succeed.
   4. D. The movie that I saw last night was boring.
4. What punctuation is essential for non-defining relative clauses?
   1. A. Colons
   2. B. Semicolons
   3. C. Commas
   4. D. Dashes
5. Which sentence is grammatically incorrect?
   1. A. The woman, who helped me, was very kind.
   2. B. The phone that I bought is not working.
   3. C. My sister, that lives in Paris, is an artist.
   4. D. The car which I drive is very old.
6. Identify the defining relative clause in the following sentence: "The restaurant that serves the best pizza is always crowded."
   1. A. The restaurant
   2. B. that serves the best pizza
   3. C. is always crowded
   4. D. The restaurant is always crowded
7. Which sentence requires a defining relative clause to make sense?
   1. A. My aunt, who is a teacher, loves her job.
   2. B. The painting, which was very expensive, was stolen.
   3. C. The student who cheated on the test was expelled.
   4. D. My house, which is small, is very cozy.