defining and non defining relative clauses

Defining and non defining relative clauses

03/2021

Grammar in context

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A Defining Relative Clause defines a noun.

it identifies who or what we are talking about.

Info

For example:

People who are unwell often begin to heal as soon as they receive medical assistance.

Do you know the girl whose mother is a nurse?

The apple which is lying on the table.

A Non-Defining Relative Clause

gives us extra information about something already identified.

For example:

The Big Apple, which is another name for NYC, is home to many movies.

My sister, whose dog I'm looking after, is visiting a friend in Australia.

We want to see the new horror movie, which was released on Friday.

A Relative Clause usually begins with a relative pronoun

• we use who for people
• which or that for things
• whose for possession
• where for places
• when for times

We can leave out the relative pronoun when it is the object of the relative clause.

This is the house we live in. This is the house which we live in. This is the house that we live in.

But remember we use that instead of which in defining clauses.

Esto es un párrafo listo para contener creatividad, experiencias e historias geniales.