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Restrictive Clauses
15
Restrictive Clauses
What is a restrictive clause?
gives more information about a noun
necessary for clarity
answers the question "which?"
does not need commas
What are they?
does not look the same everywhere
Examples of restrictive vs. non-restrictive clauses
Mrs. Brown
Miss. Black
The woman who has glasses is my teacher.
Mrs. Gray, who has glasses, is my teacher.
Mrs. Gray
Ms. White
Practice
First identify what kind of clause is in the sentence, then put commas where necessary
- Edward Johnson who has been accepted by several colleges will go to Harvard this fall.
- We are looking for someone who can sing and dance.
- I see you are wearing the jacket that Mother bought you for Christmas last year.
- Mr. Hawkins who is an antique car collector bought a 1949 Mercedes Benz.
- People who are uncomfortable in crowds shouldn’t go to the movie theater.
British vs. American English
Who
Who, Which, That
Which
- In British English, most restrictive clauses start with who, which, or that.
- Americans, however, don't like using which to start a restrictive clause. They prefer using that.
The apple tree which produced no apples last year has loads of blossom.
(This is acceptable to Brits but not to most Americans.)
The apple tree that produced no apples last year has loads of blossom.
(This is acceptable to Brits and Americans.)
That
Topic
Who?
As a general rule, who is used for people, and which and that are used for things (formally). However, it is not uncommon to see that used with people.
Topic
Non-restrictive clauses and that
That never starts a non-restrictive clause (not in British English or American English). So, you'll never get a comma before an adjective clause that starts with that. That is strictly for restrictive clauses.
incorrect:
Almas" caviar, that costs over £20,000 per kilo, comes from the Iranian Beluga fish and is the most expensive food in the world.
correct:
Almas" caviar, which costs over £20,000 per kilo, comes from the Iranian Beluga fish and is the most expensive food in the world.
It's ok to NOT use who, which, that
However...
create a more natural-sounding sentence by removing the who, that, or which.
example:
The dog which you fed is outside. (British)
The dog that you fed is outside. (American)
The dog you fed is outside.
But you can't ALWAYS omit the who, which, or that
!
Making your sentences as natural as possible is the key. Read it out loud to see if it sounds weird or not.
Take the quiz!
https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/restrictive_clause.htm