Adjective Clauses

The clauses you were asking about are adjective clauses, and they are divided into two types--but there are a number of different names for these two types of adjective clauses:

Restrictive clauses (also called "essential", "defining", or "identifying" clauses). These clauses are not set off by a comma and the information provided is needed (essential) to identify the noun that they qualify;

e.g. My neighbour who lives in the two-storey house is a good friend of mine.

Non-restrictive clauses (also called "non-essential", "non-defining", or "non-identifying" clauses). These clauses are set off by a comma and the information provided is just additional information; it is not needed to identify the noun that they qualify;

e.g. Mrs. Smith, who is my next-door neighbour, is a good friend of mine.

There is a further difference when using clauses requiring "that" or "which". Use "that" in restrictive clauses and "which" in non-restrictive clauses.

e.g. The two-storey house that belongs to the Smiths is next door to us; your friend's bungalow, which is a much smaller house, is on the other side of ours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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