Restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses exercises With answers

Which sentence contains restrictive (or non-restrictive) clause?

In the three exercises below, identify which sentence contains a restrictive clause and which contains a non-restrictive. Also, if necessary, punctuate the sentence with comma(s). Remember, a non-restrictive clause takes a pair of commas if it falls in the middle of a sentence and a comma if at the end of a sentence.

Table of Contents Show

Which sentence contains restrictive (or non-restrictive) clause?
Advanced EnglishLesson 14 - AnimalsGrammar
Restrictive Clauses
Nonrestrictive Clauses
What are restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses examples?
What is restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses?
What is a restrictive clause example?
Where can restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses appear in a sentence?

Comma(s) that go with a non-restrictive clause have been dropped in the exercises. Otherwise, it’ll be too easy to identify, isn’t it? To identify restrictive and non-restrictive clause, you should instead apply the fundamental test: If the noun loses its identity on dropping the relative clause, then it’s restrictive. Otherwise, non-restrictive.

Learn more about restrictive and non-restrictive clauses:

Which of the two (restrictive or non-restrictive clause) to use in a sentence?

(Note: Relative clauses have been underlined in all the answers.)

Exercise 1

1. There is a boy in my batch who is too conscious about his hair.

2. Mahatma Gandhi who studied law in England led India’s freedom movement.

3. I did my undergrad in Boston where some of the top universities are based.

4. Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others.

5. The house where no one has lived for years looks like a ghost house.

Answers to Exercise 1

1. Restrictive

There is a boy in my batch who is too conscious about his hair. [Since it’s a restrictive clause, it takes no comma.]

2. Non-restrictive

Mahatma Gandhi, who studied law in England, led India’s freedom movement. [Since it’s a non-restrictive clause, it takes a pair of commas.]

3. Non-restrictive

I did my undergrad in Boston, where some of the top universities are based. [Since it’s a non-restrictive clause at the end of the sentence, it takes a single comma.]

4. Restrictive

Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others.

5. Restrictive

The house where no one has lived for years looks like a ghost house.

Exercise 2

1. You own quite a comfortable car which is adequate for you.

2. He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.

3. My mother who saw spark in my eyes for colors and design nudged me towards a course in fashion design.

4. Don’t live a lifestyle that overextends your means

5. Anyone who plays the game can teach the game.

Answers to Exercise 2

1. Non-restrictive

You own quite a comfortable car, which is adequate for you.

2. Restrictive

He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.

3. Non-restrictive

My mother, who saw spark in my eyes for colors and design, nudged me towards a course in fashion design.

4. Restrictive

Don’t live a lifestyle that overextends your means.

5. Restrictive

Anyone who plays the game can teach the game.

Exercise 3

1. The man who lives next door is a doctor.

2. The earlier software contractor wrote a bloated code which now needs to be rewritten.

3. My neighbor who won last week’s lottery gave all his money to a bird sanctuary.

4. The charts that have not been fully updated fail to show anything concrete.

5. Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

Answers to Exercise 3

1. Restrictive

The man who lives next door is a doctor.

2. Non-restrictive

The earlier software contractor wrote a bloated code, which now needs to be rewritten.

3. Restrictive

My neighbor who won last week’s lottery gave all his money to a bird sanctuary. [If there was only one neighbor, the clause will be non-restrictive.]

4. Restrictive

The charts that have not been fully updated fail to show anything concrete.

5. Restrictive

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

Advanced EnglishLesson 14 - AnimalsGrammar

On This Page

Restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses
"Find the Mistake" review activity

Restrictive Clauses

Restrictive clauses contain information essential to the meaning of a sentence. The sentence doesn't make sense without the clause. Note in the examples below how the clause gives information to describe and define the nouns that precede it. For example, the first sentence doesn't make sense if you only say, "He's the man." You wouldn't know what man is being referred to.

He's the man that interviewed the president.
That's the place where I lost my earring.
The man who stole the necklace is now in jail.

A restrictive clause begins with a relative pronoun.

Relative Pronouns
Pronoun	The pronoun is used for a . . .
that, who, whom*	person
whose	possessive
that, which	thing
where	place
when	time
why	reason

*Who is a subject pronoun and "whom" is an object pronoun.

Practice
Combine the two sentences to form a sentence with a restrictive clause. Use the relative pronoun in parentheses. Note that when you combine the two sentences, you eliminate the repeated information (the noun refered to in both sentences). This is why we eliminate "He" in the first example below and "The woman" in the second example.

examples
He's the man. He broke the world record in running. (who)
The woman gave me a rose. The woman works in the flower shop. (that)

Nonrestrictive Clauses

Nonrestrictive clauses give extra information (not essential to the meaning of the sentence). The nonrestrictive clause is the part in red in the examples below. Note that we separate the clause from the rest of the sentence with commas.

John, who lives near my house, is in my Spanish class this year.
He went on vacation to San Diego, which is in the United States.
Helen, whose mother is the school principal, volunteered to help with the program.

A nonrestrictive clause also begins with a relative pronoun but with nonrestrictive clauses we cannot use the word "that".

Relative Pronouns
Pronoun	The pronoun is used for a . . .
who, whom*	person
whose	possessive
which	thing
where	place
when	time
why	reason

*Who is a subject pronoun and "whom" is an object pronoun.

Practice
Combine the two sentences to form a sentence with a nonrestrictive clause. Use the relative pronoun in parentheses. Note that when you combine the two sentences, you eliminate the repeated information (the noun refered to in both sentences). This is why we eliminate "She" in the first example below and "It" in the second example.

ejemplos
I called Jane Thomas. She used to work at the pharmacy. (who)
San Francisco is a beautiful city. It is in northern California. (which)

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What are restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses examples?

Here are a few examples:.

The book that she read was important for her literature review. (restrictive).

The participants who were interviewed volunteered to be part of the study. (restrictive).

Walden University, which is entirely online, has main administrative offices in Baltimore and Minneapolis. (nonrestrictive).

What is restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses?

A restrictive clause introduces information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause can be removed without changing the meaning. Restrictive clauses require no punctuation; nonrestrictive clauses are usually separated from the independent clause with commas.

What is a restrictive clause example?

Restrictive clauses are usually introduced by the relative pronouns that, who, whom, or whose. A restrictive clause can have an identifying function. The astronaut who first stepped on the moon was Neil Armstrong. The restrictive clause in this sentence is who first stepped on the moon.

Where can restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses appear in a sentence?

Place proper punctuation around nonrestrictive clauses, but do not place punctuation around restrictive clauses. When a nonrestrictive clause appears in the middle of a sentence, place commas around it. When a nonrestrictive clause appears at the end of a sentence, place a comma before it and a period after it.