Some or All: restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses

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Restrictive v. Nonrestrictive
Punctuation
Practice

Some or All

Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses

Some vs. All

A RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE	A NONRESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE
A restrictive clause refers to a smaller group or a specific kind. It adds information necessary for identifying the noun before it. Commas are not used to set the clause off from the main clause (sentence).	A nonrestrictive clause refers to all in general. It adds extra, non-defining information to the noun before it. Commas are used to set the clause off as an unnecessary (but perhaps interesting) comment.
SOME BIO-SCIENTISTS The bio-scientist who creates green energy will make a profit. who – subject pronoun The bio-scientist whom they fund will make a profit. who – object pronoun (True for one kind of bio-scientist.)	ALL BIO-SCIENTISTS The bio-scientist, who creates green energy, will make a profit. The bio-scientist, whom they fund, will make a profit. (True for all scientists classified as bio-scientists.)
SOME GREEN HOUSEHOLDS The "green household" that reduces waste will save energy. The "green household" that homeowners carefully maintain will save energy. (True for one kind of household.)	ALL GREEN HOUSEHOLDS The "green household", which reduces waste, will save energy. The "green household", to which homeowners are changing, will save energy.

A RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE

A NONRESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSE

A restrictive clause refers to a smaller group or a specific kind. It adds information necessary for identifying the noun before it. Commas are not used to set the clause off from the main clause (sentence).

A nonrestrictive clause refers to all in general. It adds extra, non-defining information to the noun before it. Commas are used to set the clause off as an unnecessary (but perhaps interesting) comment.

SOME BIO-SCIENTISTS

The bio-scientist who creates green energy will make a profit. who – subject pronoun
The bio-scientist whom they fund will make a profit. who – object pronoun
(True for one kind of bio-scientist.)

ALL BIO-SCIENTISTS

The bio-scientist, who creates green energy, will make a profit.
The bio-scientist, whom they fund, will make a profit.
(True for all scientists classified as bio-scientists.)

SOME GREEN HOUSEHOLDS

The "green household" that reduces waste will save energy.
The "green household" that homeowners carefully maintain will save energy.
(True for one kind of household.)

ALL GREEN HOUSEHOLDS

The "green household", which reduces waste, will save energy.
The "green household", to which homeowners are changing, will save energy.

fund (v.) – give or award money for the completion of a project
homeowner (n.) – a person who owns or possesses a home
household (n.) – all the people living and working in the house
green household (adj - n..) – a ecological, bio-sustainable system within a house (heating, water, waste, etc.)
Related page Comma–Comments

Punctuation

NO COMMAS	COMMAS
No commas are used before and after a clause if it narrows or identifies the noun it modifies. That is, if the clause tells which one or group.	Commas are used before and after a clause if the clause add extra (nice-to-know) information about a noun or group, and it does not narrow or limit the members or items in the group.
SOME CANDY Candy that contains chocolate is dangerous to dogs.	ALL CANDY Candy, which is a sweet reward, sells well in good and bad economic times.

NO COMMAS

COMMAS

No commas are used before and after a clause if it narrows or identifies the noun it modifies. That is, if the clause tells which one or group.

Commas are used before and after a clause if the clause add extra (nice-to-know) information about a noun or group, and it does not narrow or limit the members or items in the group.

SOME CANDY

Candy that contains chocolate is dangerous to dogs.

ALL CANDY

Candy, which is a sweet reward, sells well in good and bad economic times.

Practice 1

Refers to some or all

Decide whether or not to add commas:

Select the option that best completes the sentence.
A correct response will appear in the sentence to the left. An incorrect response will appear as an asterisk *.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	FEEDBACK
1.	The bobcat is a patient hunter. CLAUSE: It is a natural enemy to rodents use commas no commas rodent (n.) – any small animal of the type that has long sharp front teeth, such as a rat or a rabbit	Feedback 1
2.	The bobcat is troublesome. CLAUSE: It ate our rabbits use commas no commas troublesome (adj.) – causing problems, in an annoying way	Feedback 2
3.	Birds stretch them out to keep cool. Clause: They have feathered wings use commas no commas feathered (adj) – having feathers	Feedback 3
4.	Birds cannot fly. (kiwi, ostrich, etc.) CLAUSE: They have vestigial wings use commas no commas vestigial (adj.) – a vestigial part of the body has never developed completely or has almost disappeared	Feedback 4
5.	Dogs are loyal companions. CLAUSE: They love their owners use commas no commas	Feedback 5
6.	Dogs can be adopted from animal shelters. CLAUSE: They are abandoned use commas no commas abandoned (v.) – left without care	Feedback 6
7.	People may suffer heart disease or diabetes. CLAUSE: They are obese use commas no commas diabetes (n.) – a serious disease in which there is too much sugar in the blood obese (adj.) – extremely overweight	Feedback 7
8.	Athletes have fewer health problems. CLAUSE: They exercise regularly use commas no commas athlete (n.) – someone who trains and participates in sports and activities requiring physical skill	Feedback 8
9.	People get better cardio-exercise. CLAUSE: They go on walks twice a day use commas no commas cardio (adj.) – relating to the heart	Feedback 9
10.	The bald eagle is a bird of prey. CLAUSE: They has a wing-span of about 75 inches use commas no commas bird of prey (n.) – birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision	Feedback 10

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