Grammar and usage Introduction to non-restrictive attributive clauses

Step 1: non-restrictive attributive clause

A non-restrictive attributive clause is used to add extra information to the main clause of a sentence. Let's see the formation of a non-restrictive attributive clause the occasion to use it.

1. Please read the five example sentences in Point 1 to find the similarities and the differences between the restrictive attributive clause and the non-restrictive attributive clause.

For reference:

These two kinds of attributive clauses are both used after a noun. But the non-restrictive clause is used to add extra information to the sentence, and there is usually a comma between the antecedent and the clause. The non-restrictive clause can be omitted without causing any confusion. But for a restrictive attributive clause, if it is omitted, the meaning of the whole sentence will not be so clear. For example, in the sentence ' We thought you were a person from whom we could expect good decisions', the clause 'from whom we could expect good decisions' can't be omitted. If it is omitted, we don't know what the sentence means.

2. Please read the Tip box in this part and note that the relative pronoun that can't be used to introduce a

non-restrictive attributive clause.

3. Please read the example sentence in Point 2 and tell me what which refers to in this sentence. (Sometimes a non-restrictive attributive clause introduced by which can be used to refer to the whole main clause.)

4. After reading the two example sentences in Point 3, you will know a non-restrictive attributive clause introduced by all / some of which / whom can express a complete or partial quantity. Here which refers to the antecedent different types of exercises in the first sentence, and whom refers to the antecedent many people in the second sentence.

　　Here are more sentences for you to compare:

The dress, which you can get at any shop, is popular this spring.

The dress which you want can be found at any shop.

　　In the first sentence, the clause ' which you can get at any shop' gives extra information.

It tells you where you can get the dress.

In the second sentence, the clause tells us that the dress is just what you want, not anyone else.

She introduced me to her husband, whom I hadn't met before.

She introduced me to the man who is her husband.

In the first sentence, we can know who she introduced. The clause just tells us that this was the

first time I met her husband.

In the second sentence, the clause tells us who the man is.

His sister, who is studying in England, will be back this summer.

His sister who is studying in England will be back this summer.

The first sentence tells us that he has a sister and she is now studying in England and will be

back this summer, while the second sentence tells us that maybe he has more than one sister and one

of them is now studying in England and will be back this summer.

The books, in which there are beautiful pictures, are for children.

The books in which there are beautiful pictures are for children.

In the first sentence, we know the books are all for children and they have beautiful pictures in

them. In the second sentence, we know only the books with beautiful pictures are for children, while

the books without beautiful pictures are not for children.