The document discusses defining and non-defining relative clauses. Defining relative clauses provide essential information about a noun and are not set off by commas, while non-defining clauses provide additional non-essential information and are set off by commas. Examples are provided of sentences containing defining and non-defining relative clauses, and an exercise asks the reader to join sentences using relative pronouns and identify whether the resulting clauses are defining or non-defining.

2. Defining /
Non-defining
relative clauses
Elsa Maximiano
2012

3. Defining or restrictive clauses
Defining relative clauses (also called identifying relative clauses or restrictive
relative clauses) give detailed information defining a general term
or expression.
Defining relative clauses are not put in commas.
Look at the picture and analyse the sentence.
Not all the people like the rain.
Some people smile when it rains.
I like those people.

4. Defining or restrictive clauses
Defining relative clauses are often used in definitions.
A seaman is someone who works on a ship.
Object pronouns in defining relative clauses can be dropped.
(Sentences with a relative clause without the relative pronoun are called
Contact Clauses.)
The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is very nice.

5. Non-Defining or non-restrictive clauses
Non-defining relative clauses (also called non-identifying relative clauses or non-
restrictive relative clauses) give additional information on something,
but do not define it.
Non-defining relative clauses are put in commas.
Look at the picture and analyse the sentence.
All the people like the rain.
, All the people smile when it rains.
I like all those people.

6. Non-Defining or non-restrictive clauses
Note: In non-defining relative clauses, who/which may not be replaced
with that.
Object pronouns in non-defining relative clauses must be used.
Jim, who/whom we met yesterday, is very nice.

7. Defining or Non-Defining?

8. Defining or Non-Defining?
Defining

9. Defining or Non-Defining?
Defining

10. Defining or Non-Defining?
Defining
Non-Defining

11. Defining or Non-Defining?
Defining
Non-Defining

12. Defining or Non-Defining?
Join the sentences with relative pronouns starting them as suggested.
a) That lady was really nice. Her son is my workmate. (That lady)
b) People may be disappointed. They have cyber relationships. (People)
c) Peter was really puzzled. He wondered how the old man knew so much about
him. (Peter)
d) People often lie in chatrooms. They pretend they are something they are definitely
not (People)
e) Cyber romances are nice. They are based on the sharing of feelings. (Cyber
romances)
f) Students forget their duties. Their free time is spent in chatrooms. (Students)
g) Póvoa is a nice city. Its inhabitants are friendly. (Póvoa)
h) Online affairs are risky. They are often deceiving. (Online affairs)
i) The girl sent me an electronic message. I met her at the conference.
j) The boy was injured in the fire. He is now in hospital.
k) Those ladies were very helpful. We’ve asked them for new sites.
l) The police have found the little boy. His parents were on TV asking for help.
m) The people were very friendly. They asked us for help with the car.

13. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

14. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

15. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

16. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

17. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

18. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

19. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

20. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

21. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

22. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
i) The girl (that) I met at the conference sent me an e-mail.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

23. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
i) The girl (that) I met at the conference sent me an e-mail.
j) The boy who is now in hospital was injured in the fire.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

24. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
i) The girl (that) I met at the conference sent me an e-mail.
j) The boy who is now in hospital was injured in the fire.
k) Those ladies, whom we asked them for new sites, were very helpful.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

25. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
i) The girl (that) I met at the conference sent me an e-mail.
j) The boy who is now in hospital was injured in the fire.
k) Those ladies, whom we asked them for new sites, were very helpful.
l) The police have found the little boy whose parents were on TV asking for help.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

26. Defining or Non-Defining?
Correction:
a) That lady, whose son is my workmate, was really nice.
b) People who have cyber relationships may be disappointed.
c) Peter, who wondered how the old man knew so much about him, was really puzzled.
d) People who pretend they are something they are definitely not often lie in chatrooms.
e) Cyber romances, which are based on the sharing of feelings, are nice.
f) Students whose free time is spend in chatrooms forget their duties.
g) Póvoa, whose inhabitants are friendly, is a nice city.
h) Online affairs, which are often deceiving, are risky.
i) The girl (that) I met at the conference sent me an e-mail.
j) The boy who is now in hospital was injured in the fire.
k) Those ladies, whom we asked them for new sites, were very helpful.
l) The police have found the little boy whose parents were on TV asking for help.
m) The people who asked us for help with the car were very friendly.
Sources:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/relative-clauses
http://www.notapositiva.com/resumos/ingles/relativeclause.htm

27. Great work!
Elsa Maximiano - 2012
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