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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clause?

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The main difference between restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses lies in their purpose and punctuation:

  1. Restrictive clauses:
  • Introduce information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
  • Limit or identify the noun or noun phrase they modify.
  • Are essential to the sentence and cannot be removed without changing the meaning.
  • Require no punctuation when used in a sentence.
  • Examples: "Insects that have eight legs are called 'arachnids.'" and "The student who sits in the back of the room asks a lot of questions."
  1. Nonrestrictive clauses:
  • Provide additional information about the preceding subject, but do not limit or restrict its meaning.
  • Can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.
  • Separated from the independent clause with commas.
  • Examples: "The participants, who I interviewed, met me at the local library." and "The students, who work remotely, requested further training."

Keep in mind that restrictive clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence and are not separated by commas, while nonrestrictive clauses provide additional information and are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clause?
  • Comparative Table: Restrictive vs Nonrestrictive Clause

    • Comparative Table: Restrictive vs Nonrestrictive Clause

    Here is a table comparing the differences between restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses:

    Feature Restrictive Clauses Nonrestrictive Clauses
    Function Essential to the meaning of the sentence. These clauses limit or specify the noun they modify. Provide additional information about the subject, which is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
    Examples - The student who sits in the back of the room asks a lot of questions.
    - The results that I obtained may invoke positive social change.
    - The journalist whose story I read yesterday has won prizes for her work.    		 - The participants, who I interviewed, met me at the local library.
    - Minneapolis, which has a population of about 400,000, is the largest city in Minnesota.
    Punctuation Not separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.
    Relative Pronouns Usually introduced by the relative pronouns "that," "who," "whom," or "whose." Can use "which" in addition to "that," "who," "whom," or "whose."
    Usage More common in writing. Less common in writing.

    Remember that restrictive clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence and cannot be removed without changing the sentence's meaning. On the other hand, nonrestrictive clauses provide additional information that is not essential to the sentence's meaning and can be removed without affecting the main idea.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.