Restrictive & Nonrestrictive Clauses

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What is a restrictive clause?

Back

A restrictive clause is a part of a sentence that provides essential information about the noun it modifies. It cannot be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.

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What is a nonrestrictive clause?

Back

A nonrestrictive clause adds extra information to a sentence but is not essential to its meaning. It can be removed without altering the main idea.

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How do you identify a restrictive clause in a sentence?

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A restrictive clause usually does not have commas and is necessary to understand which specific noun is being referred to.

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How do you identify a nonrestrictive clause in a sentence?

Back

A nonrestrictive clause is set off by commas and provides additional information that can be omitted without changing the sentence's meaning.

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Does a restrictive clause require commas?

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No, a restrictive clause does not require commas.

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Does a nonrestrictive clause require commas?

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Yes, a nonrestrictive clause requires commas.

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Example of a restrictive clause:

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The book that I borrowed from the library is fascinating.

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Example of a nonrestrictive clause:

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My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting us next week.

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What happens if you remove a restrictive clause from a sentence?

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Removing a restrictive clause changes the meaning of the sentence or makes it unclear.

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What happens if you remove a nonrestrictive clause from a sentence?

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Removing a nonrestrictive clause does not change the main meaning of the sentence.