In a recent post we explained how a restrictive (essential) clause includes information that will change the meaning of a sentence if removed. Today we will look at its grammatical companion, the nonrestrictive (nonessential) clause.
As its name suggests, a nonrestrictive clause is one that can be taken away from a sentence without changing understanding of the sentence. However, the clause may add information, detail, or specificity.
Regular readers of our blog will know that seeing grammar principles in action is always helpful. Let’s look at an example of a nonrestrictive clause in a sentence.
My classmate, who had just been to the stylist, got chewing gum caught in her hair.
In this example, who had just been to the stylist is a nonrestrictive clause. We could take it out of the sentence without changing the meaning or intent. We would just lose a little bit of detail and context.
We also know from the nonrestrictive construction that we are talking about one particular classmate. If the clause was restrictive, we would need the information to identify one classmate from what could be several.
Let’s look at another example:
The car, which had been starting slowly for months, began coughing black smoke this morning.
The clause which had been starting slowly for months adds a bit of background to the sentence. If we remove it, though, we get this:
The car began coughing black smoke this morning.
It’s not as specific, but it still provides the core information.
Beyond the essential versus nonessential test, another way to quickly spot a nonrestrictive clause is to note if the clause has commas on either side. Let’s look at one last example:
The store, which charges top prices, caters to an audience with significant disposable income.
You see the clause which charges top prices has commas before and after it. We could remove the text between the commas without altering the meaning of the sentence.
The store caters to an audience with significant disposable income.
Identify the nonrestrictive clauses in the following sentences.
American English might seem complicated sometimes, but as you become more familiar with the finer points, it simply becomes a matter of practice. We create our content to help you take your communication skills to the next level. Visit us again soon or leave us a comment below!
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.