Reduce the Relative Clause: Active Sentences
You should eat a healthy diet which includes fruits and vegetables.
You should eat a healthy diet including fruits and vegetables.
Most students who were invited to the party did not attend.
Most students invited to the party did not attend.
What is a defining relative clause?
A defining relative clause specifies which noun we are talking about and is essential to the sentence.
What is a non-defining relative clause?
A non-defining relative clause adds extra information about a noun, which is not essential to the sentence’s meaning.
The girl who complains most in the class is Mina.
The girl complaining most in the class is Mina.
The student who was hit with the flyswatter is Umut.
The student hit with the flyswatter is Umut.
Create a sentence with a defining relative clause about "the book you read last month."
The book that/which I read last month was thrilling.
Create a sentence with a non-defining relative clause about your best friend."
My best friend, who lives in New York, is visiting me next week.
The cats who live on East Campus are my favorite.
The cats living on East Campus are my favorite.
Ada, who is dressed in pajamas, is sleepy today.
Ada, dressed in pajamas, is sleepy today.
Explain how defining relative clauses affect the meaning of a sentence.
They give important information.
Discuss the importance of commas in non-defining relative clauses.
They are separated by commas to indicate that the information is additional.
The student who is earning the highest grade is Lara.
The student earning the highest grade is Lara.
Most of the students who were asked to participate in the Grammar Olympics refused.
Most of the students asked to participate in the Grammar Olympics refused.
Why can't we use commas in defining relative clauses?
Commas are not used because the information is essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Can "that" be used in non-defining relative clauses? Why or why not?
No, "that" cannot be used because it is reserved for defining relative clauses.