Nonrestrictive vs. Restrictive Elements - Grade 6 Assessment

True or False: A nonrestrictive clause, which just adds extra information to a sentence, should be separated from the main sentence with commas.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Correct! Nonrestrictive clauses are like 'extra details' that aren't essential to the sentence's meaning, so we use commas to set them off, like a little pause.

My best friend, ______ moved here from Texas, is in my science class. Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun to complete this nonrestrictive clause.

Answer explanation

Great job! We use the pronoun 'who' to refer to people. Since the clause is just extra info about your best friend, 'who' is the perfect fit.

What is the main job of a RESTRICTIVE clause in a sentence?

• To provide extra, fun-fact information

• To provide essential information needed to understand who or what is being talked about

• To separate two complete sentences

• To add a rhyming phrase at the end

Answer explanation

Exactly! A restrictive clause 'restricts' or narrows down the subject. Without it, the sentence would be too vague. For example, in 'The student who sits in the front row is my cousin,' the clause is essential to know WHICH student we mean.

True or False: You can always remove a restrictive clause from a sentence without changing the sentence's main meaning.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

That's right, this is false. A restrictive clause is essential information. If you take it away, the meaning of the sentence often becomes unclear or changes completely. For example, removing the clause from 'The dog that bit the mailman is dangerous' leaves 'The dog is dangerous,' but we don't know which dog!

Which one of the sentences below uses a restrictive clause (essential information)?

• My dog, a fluffy poodle, loves to chase squirrels.

• The boy who is wearing the red hat won the race.

• Our principal, Mr. Harris, gave a speech at the assembly.

• Pizza, my favorite food, is what I want for dinner.

Answer explanation

You got it! The clause 'who is wearing the red hat' is essential. Without it, we wouldn't know which boy won the race. The other sentences have nonrestrictive elements set off by commas, which are just extra details.

The student ______ notebook was left in the cafeteria should go to the lost and found. Fill in the blank with the pronoun that shows possession.

Answer explanation

Perfect! 'Whose' is the possessive pronoun we use to show that something (the notebook) belongs to someone (the student). This is a restrictive clause because it identifies which student we're talking about.

Which sentence shows the correct way to use commas with a nonrestrictive clause?

• My brother who is a senior, plays on the basketball team.

• My brother, who is a senior plays on the basketball team.

• My brother, who is a senior, plays on the basketball team.

• My brother who is a senior plays on the basketball team.

Answer explanation

Yes! A nonrestrictive clause needs a comma at the beginning and at the end to separate it from the main part of the sentence. Think of the commas as handles you can use to lift the extra info right out.

The remote control _______ fell behind the couch is the one we need for the TV. Fill in the blank with the pronoun that is most often used in a restrictive clause to talk about a thing.

Answer explanation

'That' is the correct answer. We usually use 'that' for restrictive clauses about things or objects. The clause 'that fell behind the couch' is essential because it tells us exactly which remote control we are looking for.

Here are two sentences: 'Fortnite is a popular video game. It was created by Epic Games.' Let's combine them! Fill in the blank to complete the new sentence using a nonrestrictive clause: 'Fortnite, _______________, is a popular video game.'

Answer explanation

Excellent work! You turned the second sentence into a nonrestrictive clause using 'which' and correctly placed it inside commas to add extra information about Fortnite.

Read these two sentences carefully: 1. The players who were injured sat on the bench. 2. The players, who were injured, sat on the bench. Which statement best explains the difference in their meaning?

• There is no difference in meaning; they mean the same thing.

• Sentence 1 means only some of the players were injured, while Sentence 2 means all of the players were injured.

• Sentence 1 means all of the players were injured, while Sentence 2 means only some of the players were injured.

• Sentence 1 is about soccer, and Sentence 2 is about basketball.

Answer explanation

This is a tricky one, but you nailed it! In sentence 1, 'who were injured' is a restrictive clause, identifying ONLY the injured players. In sentence 2, the commas make 'who were injured' a nonrestrictive clause, giving extra info about ALL the players (implying they were all injured). Punctuation is powerful!