Sentence Complexity and Embedding

Adjective Clauses

Activity 16.8: Restrictive v. Nonrestrictive Relative Clauses

Exercise A – First identify whether the relative clause in each sentence is a restrictive or a nonrestrictive clause. Then, using the main clause as a guide, tell the difference in meanings of the sentences.

1. The children who wanted to slide brought sleds. Restrictive. Not all the children brought sleds. Only some of them did; the group that did is limited.
2. The children, who wanted to slide, brought sleds. Nonrestrictive. All the children brought sleds. There is no limit on the group.
3. The children who wanted to play hockey brought skates. Restrictive. Not all the children brought skates. Only some of them did; the group that brought them is limited.
4. The children, who wanted to play hockey, brought skates. Nonrestrictive. All the children brought skates. There is no limit on the group.

Exercise B – To see how the difference between the two types of clauses shows up in extended text, read the following short paragraphs. Find the relative clauses in each and be ready to label each as restrictive or nonrestrictive and explain the meaning in the context of the text.

Last weekend we brought a youth group to the park. The children who wanted to slide (restrictive, not all children brought sleds) brought sleds, and the children who wanted to play hockey (restrictive; not all the children brought skates.) brought skates.

Last weekend we brought a youth group to the park. The boys, who wanted to slide (nonrestrictive, all the boys brought sleds), brought sleds. The girls, who wanted to play hockey (nonrestrictive, all the girls brought skates), brought skates.

Last weekend we brought a youth group to the park. The children, who wanted to slide (nonrestrictive, all the children brought sleds), brought sleds, and the children, who also wanted to play hockey (nonrestrictive, all the children brought skates), brought skates.

Last weekend we brought a youth group to the park. The children, who wanted to slide and play hockey (nonrestrictive, all the children brought sleds and skates), brought sleds and skates.

Exercise C - Identify whether the following sentences have restrictive or nonrestrictive relative clauses.

1. Cheetahs, which can run 70 miles per hour, are built for speed. Nonrestrictive
2. Cheetahs that are raised in captivity live longer than wild cheetahs. Restrictive
3. I picked the beans which were mature. Restrictive
4. I picked the beans, which were mature. Nonrestrictive
5. People along the river, who had received warnings, escaped the flood. Nonrestrictive
6. People along the river who had received warnings escaped the flood. Restrictive
7. The local newspaper, which told the girl’s story on page 1, raised all the needed money. Nonrestrictive
8. The local newspaper which told the girl’s story on page 1 raised all the needed money. Restrictive

Adjective Clauses 4