The document discusses the identification and use of restrictive and nonrestrictive adjective clauses, detailing when to use commas based on the necessity of the clause. It provides practice examples and guidelines for reducing clauses, particularly in various verb forms. Additional resources for further information are available through email and the website.

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Review Other Aspects
of Adjective Clause
Restrictive/Nonrestrictive and
Clause Reduction
with Practice

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Restrictive / Nonrestrictive
Restrictive
(Required)
NO COMMAS
NECESSARY
ESSENTIAL
MAKES SPECIFIC
Nonrestrictive
(Not Required)
COMMAS
UNNESSARY
NONESSENTIAL
EXTRA

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Special Uses of Restrictive
Used for Definition: one who or a
person who; a time in which
A philanthropist is one who gives
money.
This was a decade which had a lot of
violence.

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Test for Restrictive / Nonrestrictive
1. Identify the adj clause
2. Take out the clause and ask does
the sentence make sense? Does it
have the same meaning?
3. If yes, nonrestrictive, so add
commas.
If no, restrictive, so no commas.

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Nonrestrictive When?
1. Antecedent Noun already
identified
Mrs. Coleman has taught ESL
155 and 165. These classes,
which include grammar
instruction, are taught at OCC.

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Nonrestrictive When?
2. Antecedent Noun is proper
noun.
Mrs. Coleman , who is my ESL
165 instructor, is rather short.

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Nonrestrictive When?
3. Antecedent Noun is one of a
kind.
Mrs. Coleman teaches how to
prevent comma splices, which
are commonly committed
errors.

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Nonrestrictive When?
4. Antecedent Noun is all of
kind
The students, who adored
Mrs. Coleman, did very well
in the class.

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Practice R/NR
Is the adjective clause restrictive or
nonrestrictive?
What POS is the clause modifying?
She opened a hospital in New York. The
hospital which was run by women
later expanded to become a medical
school.

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Practice R/NR
Is the adjective clause restrictive or
nonrestrictive?
What POS is the clause modifying?
She opened a hospital in New York. The
hospital which was run by women
later expanded to become a medical
school.
SUBJECT
, which was run by women,

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Practice R/NR
Is the adjective clause restrictive or
nonrestrictive?
What POS is the clause modifying?
Susan B. Anthony who was born in NY
is famous for her work in women’s rights.

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Practice R/NR
Is the adjective clause restrictive or
nonrestrictive?
What POS is the clause modifying?
Susan B. Anthony who was born in NY
is famous for her work in women’s rights.
SUBJECT
, who was born in NY,

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Reduction Possibilities
When entire clause only uses be verb
and adjective
The students who were tired went
home.
The tired students went home.

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Reduction Possibilities
When entire clause uses be verb
followed by phrase
The students who were in class took
the quiz.
The students in class took the quiz.

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Reduction Possibilities
When a passive verb is used
ESL 165 is a class which is taught by
Mrs. Coleman.
ESL 165 is a class taught by Mrs.
Coleman

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Reduction Possibilities
When a progressive verb is used
ESL 165 has students who are
working very diligently.
ESL 165 has students working very
diligently.

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Reduction Possibilities
With Verbs other than be
ESL 165 has students who work very
diligently.
ESL 165 has students working very
diligently.

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For More Information
Email Mrs. C
ccoleman@clmn.net
Visit Coleman’s Classroom
www.clmn.net