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Culture Documents
Identifying and Non-Identifying Clauses
Identifying and Non-Identifying Clauses
Identifying Clauses
Relative clauses that are needed in a sentence in order to
understand who we are referring to. (Without Commas)
Examples:
The house that/which I grew up in was demolished last week.
If we remove the relative clause, would we still
Identifying understand what we were referring to?
Clauses The house was demolished last week. (Which house?)
I met a man who was selling his car.
I met a man. (What man?)
Without the identifying clauses, our sentences would change—or
the meaning would change.
Relative clauses that are needed in a sentence in order to
understand who we are referring to. (Without Commas)
Examples:
The book is mine. (Which book?)
Identifying
Clauses
Relative clauses that are needed in a sentence in order to
understand who we are referring to. (Without Commas)
Examples:
The book is mine. (Which book?)
Identifying
Clauses
4. The book which is on the table is about wars around the world.
1. I gave the book to my brother, who is an engineer.
Non-identifying: When it ends a sentence, you only need
one comma before the relative pronoun.
1. England which is where Dave grew up has some of the best
universities.
Practice
2. The amusement park that is in Salem is going to close down
next week.
3. The book which is on the table is about wars around the world.
1. I gave the book to my brother, who is an engineer.
Non-identifying: When it ends a sentence, you only need
one comma before the relative pronoun.
1. England, which is where Dave grew up, has some of the best
universities.
2. The book which is on the table is about wars around the world.
1. I gave the book to my brother, who is an engineer.
Non-identifying: When it ends a sentence, you only need
one comma before the relative pronoun.
1. England, which is where Dave grew up, has some of the best
universities.