A brief review of Restrictive and Nonrestrictive adjective clauses as well as a bit of clause to phrase reduction with some practice. Created by Coleman's Classroom.

1. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Review Other Aspects
of Adjective Clause
Restrictive/Nonrestrictive and
Clause Reduction
with Practice

2. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Restrictive / Nonrestrictive
Restrictive
(Required)
NO COMMAS
NECESSARY
ESSENTIAL
MAKES SPECIFIC
Nonrestrictive
(Not Required)
COMMAS
UNNESSARY
NONESSENTIAL
EXTRA

3. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

4. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

5. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

6. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Nonrestrictive When?
2. Antecedent Noun is proper
noun.
Mrs. Coleman , who is my ESL
165 instructor, is rather short.

7. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Nonrestrictive When?
3. Antecedent Noun is one of a
kind.
Mrs. Coleman teaches how to
prevent comma splices, which
are commonly committed
errors.

8. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Nonrestrictive When?
4. Antecedent Noun is all of
kind
The students, who adored
Mrs. Coleman, did very well
in the class.

9. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

10. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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,

11. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

12. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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,

13. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Reduction Possibilities
When entire clause only uses be verb
and adjective
The students who were tired went
home.
The tired students went home.

14. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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.

15. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
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

16. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Reduction Possibilities
When a progressive verb is used
ESL 165 has students who are
working very diligently.
ESL 165 has students working very
diligently.

17. Coleman’s Classroom www.clmn.net
Reduction Possibilities
With Verbs other than be
ESL 165 has students who work very
diligently.
ESL 165 has students working very
diligently.

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