7.1: Introduction to Adjective Clauses/Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Adjective Clauses
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Adjective clauses are dependent clauses that describe nouns. Adjective clauses use relative pronouns to replace the noun they are describing. Some adjective clauses give necessary information to understand which noun they are describing. Other adjective clauses give extra information.
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns usually begin adjective clauses although there are some exceptions that will be covered later.
|
Relative Pronoun |
Reference |
Grammatical Function |
|
which |
specific things (non-human)-used with commas |
subject, object, or object of a preposition |
|
that |
general things or people-not used with commas |
subject or object |
|
who |
people |
subject |
|
whom |
people |
object or object of a preposition |
|
whose |
possessive pronouns or nouns (his, her, its, their) |
subject or object |
|
when |
time |
object |
|
where |
place |
object |
Table 15 Relative Pronouns
-For more information on this topic, watch this video: Relative Pronouns & Clauses-English Grammar Lesson
Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses (AKA Defining and Non-Defining OR Identifying and Non-Identifying Clauses)
A restrictive clause is an adjective clause that provides important information to help the reader identify or understand the noun it is describing. It is important to understand restrictive clauses because they do not require commas and might influence which relative pronoun you use. Nonrestrictive clauses provide additional information about the referent noun. The reader can identify the noun without using the adjective clause.
Restrictive Clause: The girl who is sitting in the front is new. (The adjective clause is necessary to identify the girl.)
Non-Restrictive Clause: Mariam, who is absent today, speaks K’iche. (The adjective is not necessary. It adds extra information about the girl.)
If I asked you, “Do you know the girl?” You would probably respond, “Which girl?” My response to you would restrict which girl I am referring to. This is the case in the first example above. Therefore, no commas are necessary. In the second example, I give a name, so it is likely you know the reference. Therefore, I put commas around the adjective clause. In the above examples, both adjective clauses are referring to a person, but what happens when the noun is nonhuman?
Restrictive Clause: The car that is in my driveway is my brother’s. (The adjective clause identifies which car you are referring to.)
Non-Restrictive Clause: My car, which needs to be washed, rides smoothly. (You know which car the speaker is referring to-It is the one that belongs to me "my car.")
In the first example, the noun (car) is general. It’s likely you are not sure which car I am referring to until I say, “that is in my driveway”. However, in the second example I say, “my car” and this is specific, so the relative pronoun “which” and commas are used.
For more information on this topic, watch these videos: Commas or No Commas? Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Relative Clauses
Exercise 1-Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses
Read the sentences below. Highlight or underline the adjective clause and choose whether the adjective clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.
1. The United States, which has the highest incarceration rate in the world, is experiencing a crisis.
a. Restrictive
b. Non-Restrictive
2. The country whose economy is collapsing has not responded to its citizens’ needs.
a. Restrictive
b. Non-Restrictive
3. The radio station that plays soft rock has poor reception near the freeway.
a. Restrictive
b. Non-Restrictive
4. My favorite radio station, which often plays Stevie Nicks, has a great signal at my house.
a. Restrictive
b. Non-Restrictive
5. The woman who smokes in her car works for an office that prohibits smoking on its property.
a. Restrictive
b. Non-Restrictive
Page from High Intermediate Academic Grammar for ESL Students Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 
Exercise 2Read each sentence. Highlight or underline the adjective clause. Then, add commas where necessary. Only use commas when the adjective clause is "non-restrictive." (It does not identify the subject. It just adds extra information about the subject.) 1. The new coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19 has infected millions of people globally. 2. The disease was first detected in Wuhan which is a city in China where 11 million residents have been living isolated in quarantine for months. 3. The disease is spread by droplets which are sprayed into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 4. Infection can be transmitted if a person touches objects or surfaces that an infected person has coughed and sneezed on and then touches their mouth, nose, or face. 5. Many people who carry and spread the disease show few or no symptoms. 6. For people whose health is already impacted by heart disease, diabetes, or other underlying conditions, COVID-19 can be very deadly. "Exercise 2" is adapted from Coalescence Companion Handouts/Workbook licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International |