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bio-scientistSome or All

Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses

 

 

The way you punctuate a sentence with a clause can change it meaning!

Specific vs. All
RESTRICTIVE -- REFERS TO SOME NONRESTRICTIVE -- REFERS TO ALL

A restrictive clause refers to a smaller group or a specific kind.

A non-restrictive clause refers to all in general and provides extra information about them.

The bio-scientist who creates green energy will make a profit.
(True for one kind of bio-scientist.)
 

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

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

 

 NOTE: Who or that can be used, not which.

The "green" household, which reduces waste, will save energy.
(True for all green households.)

 

NOTE: Who or which can be used, not that.


 
household=all the people living and working in the house

 

 

 

 

catPractice     

 

 

 

Join the two sentences into one.  Decide whether to add commas to the clause:

  1. If the clause adds information that helps identify noun, don't add commas.
  2. If the clause adds "extra"  (nonidentifying information) to the noun it modifies, add comma(s).
# SENTENCE AND CLAUSE YOUR RESPONSE REVEAL ANSWER
1 The cat is independent.   (true of all cats)
CLAUSE: He loves freedom.
 
2 The dog needs to be taken away. (true of one dog) CLAUSE: The dog bit five children.
  The others can stay.
3 The rabbits hopped out into the field.  (true of some.) CLAUSE:  They wanted to eat alfalfa grass.
  The others stayed in their holes.
4 The birds catch the worms.  (true of some)
CLAUSE:  They wake up early.

5 Dogs are treasured.  (true of some dogs)
CLAUSE:  They love their owners.

6 Dogs are treasured.  (true of all dogs)
CLAUSE:  They love their owners.

7 People may suffer heart disease or diabetes.  (true of some people)
CLAUSE:
  They are obese.      (extremely overweight)

8 Athletes have fewer health problems. (true of all athletes) CLAUSE: They exercise daily.
9 People get better cardio-exercise. (true of some people) CLAUSE:  who go on walks twice a day
10 The bald eagle is a bird of prey. (true of all eagles) CLAUSE: It has a wing-span of about 75 inches.