Essential & Nonessential Essential & Nonessential ClausesClauses

Types of clausesTypes of clauses

• We’ve already discussed both We’ve already discussed both DependentDependent and and Independent ClausesIndependent Clauses, , and we already know that a clause is and we already know that a clause is a group of related words that contain a group of related words that contain both a subject and a verb both a subject and a verb (predicate). But there is yet another (predicate). But there is yet another classification of clauses: Essential classification of clauses: Essential and Non-essential.and Non-essential.

The essential ClauseThe essential Clause

• An essential clause is a An essential clause is a relative clauserelative clause that limits a general, that limits a general, ambiguous ambiguous nounnoun. The essential . The essential clause tells the reader clause tells the reader which onewhich one of of many the writer means.many the writer means.

Example of Essential clauseExample of Essential clause

• Apples Apples that are greenthat are green are not sweet. are not sweet. That are greenThat are green is an essential clause is an essential clause because it completes the meaning of because it completes the meaning of the sentence. These clauses are called the sentence. These clauses are called restrictive clauses because they restrictive clauses because they restrict the possible range of what is restrict the possible range of what is being talked about. In this case, the being talked about. In this case, the apples apples mustmust be green. be green.

• The man who ordered another The man who ordered another double anchovy pizza claims to have double anchovy pizza claims to have a pet dolphin in his backyard pool.a pet dolphin in his backyard pool.

• Which man among the billions of Which man among the billions of human males on the planet? The one human males on the planet? The one who ordered the double anchovy who ordered the double anchovy pizza!pizza!

• Freddie hopes to return to the city Freddie hopes to return to the city where he met a woman with where he met a woman with haunting green eyes.haunting green eyes.

• Which of the many cities on the Which of the many cities on the planet? The one where Freddie met a planet? The one where Freddie met a memorable woman!memorable woman!

The essential clauseThe essential clause

• The student who needs an A on the The student who needs an A on the final exam is copying statistics final exam is copying statistics formulae on her bare ankle.formulae on her bare ankle.

• Which of the many students in the Which of the many students in the class? The one who needs an class? The one who needs an AA on on the test!the test!

Nonessential ClausesNonessential Clauses

• Non-essential clauses Non-essential clauses (also known (also known as non-restrictive clauses) appear as non-restrictive clauses) appear after the sentence and add extra, after the sentence and add extra, unnecessary information. unnecessary information.

• Golden Delicious apples, Golden Delicious apples, which are which are yellowyellow, are sweet. , are sweet. Which are yellow Which are yellow is a is a non-essential clause because it defines the non-essential clause because it defines the nature of the apples, not the sweetness; it nature of the apples, not the sweetness; it is unnecessary to complete the sentence. is unnecessary to complete the sentence. These clauses are called non-restrictive These clauses are called non-restrictive because they place no limit on the possible because they place no limit on the possible range of what is being talked about. In this range of what is being talked about. In this case, Golden Delicious apples are sweet, case, Golden Delicious apples are sweet, and they just happen to be yellow in color and they just happen to be yellow in color as well.as well.

Note that the exact same clauses Note that the exact same clauses above—in sentences with minor above—in sentences with minor alterations—can become nonessential.alterations—can become nonessential.

• Read these versions:Read these versions:

• Mr. Hall, who ordered another double Mr. Hall, who ordered another double anchovy pizza, claims to have a pet anchovy pizza, claims to have a pet dolphin in his backyard pool.dolphin in his backyard pool.

• Freddie hopes to return to Cairo, where he Freddie hopes to return to Cairo, where he met a woman with haunting green eyes.met a woman with haunting green eyes.

• Veronica, who needs an A on the final Veronica, who needs an A on the final exam, is copying statistics formulae on her exam, is copying statistics formulae on her bare ankle.bare ankle.

• In place of ambiguous nouns like man, city, In place of ambiguous nouns like man, city, and student, we now have Mr. Hall, Cairo, and student, we now have Mr. Hall, Cairo, and Veronica, specific and Veronica, specific proper nounsproper nouns. The . The information in the relative clauses might be information in the relative clauses might be interesting, but it's not necessary, for we interesting, but it's not necessary, for we already know already know whichwhich man, man, whichwhich city, and city, and whichwhich student. Because these clauses are student. Because these clauses are now nonessential, they require commas to now nonessential, they require commas to separate them from the rest of the separate them from the rest of the sentence.sentence.

A proper noun won't always signal that the relative clause is nonessential. In a passage of more than one sentence, you will sometimes find such a well-defined common noun that the relative clause is a mere accessory.

Read this example:Read this example:

• As we sped through the As we sped through the neighborhood, we spotted crows neighborhood, we spotted crows eating French fries tossed on the eating French fries tossed on the road. They did not fly to a tree as we road. They did not fly to a tree as we expected. The birds, which never expected. The birds, which never showed fear of the vehicle, watched showed fear of the vehicle, watched as we swerved around them.as we swerved around them.

• The relative clause which never The relative clause which never showed fear of the vehicle is showed fear of the vehicle is nonessential since we know nonessential since we know whichwhich birds. Thus the clause requires birds. Thus the clause requires commas. commas.

Punctuate essential clauses Punctuate essential clauses correctly.correctly.• Since an essential clause provides necessary Since an essential clause provides necessary

limits on the vague noun it describes, use no limits on the vague noun it describes, use no punctuation to connect it.punctuation to connect it.

• The car that Madeline purchased from a The car that Madeline purchased from a newspaper ad belches black smoke newspaper ad belches black smoke whenever she accelerates.whenever she accelerates.

• The rats are nesting in the closet where The rats are nesting in the closet where Grandma hides her money.Grandma hides her money.

• The waiter who served the salad did not The waiter who served the salad did not notice the caterpillar nibbling a lettuce leaf.notice the caterpillar nibbling a lettuce leaf.

When the clause becomes decorative When the clause becomes decorative rather than defining—or rather than defining—or nonessentialnonessential——you will then need to separate it with you will then need to separate it with commas:commas:

• The ancient Buick, which Madeline The ancient Buick, which Madeline purchased from a newspaper ad, belches purchased from a newspaper ad, belches black smoke whenever she accelerates.black smoke whenever she accelerates.

• The rats are nesting in the master The rats are nesting in the master bedroom closet, where Grandma hides her bedroom closet, where Grandma hides her money.money.

• Javier, who served the salad, did not notice Javier, who served the salad, did not notice the caterpillar nibbling a lettuce leaf.the caterpillar nibbling a lettuce leaf.

• Punctuation for essential and non-Punctuation for essential and non-essential clauses is simple. If it is essential clauses is simple. If it is essential, it takes no punctuation. It essential, it takes no punctuation. It if is non-essential, put commas if is non-essential, put commas around it. ALWAYS!around it. ALWAYS!

Let’s go back to that Golden Let’s go back to that Golden Delicious apple sentence:Delicious apple sentence:

• Golden Delicious apples, Golden Delicious apples, which are which are yellowyellow, are sweet., are sweet.

• If you notice, the clause (in bold) is set off If you notice, the clause (in bold) is set off by commas. What happens if you remove by commas. What happens if you remove those commas? The sentence is still those commas? The sentence is still correct, but now for a Golden Delicious correct, but now for a Golden Delicious apple to be sweet, it must be yellow. apple to be sweet, it must be yellow. Taking out those commas made the clause Taking out those commas made the clause essential to the meaning of the sentence.essential to the meaning of the sentence.

• Think of it this way: When the Think of it this way: When the commas are there, the clause commas are there, the clause describes  the color of the apples. describes  the color of the apples. When the commas are gone, the When the commas are gone, the clause limits the range of sweet clause limits the range of sweet Golden Delicious apples to Golden Delicious apples to onlyonly the the yellow ones.yellow ones.

Common ErrorsCommon Errors

• Most people make the mistake of Most people make the mistake of punctuating essential and non-punctuating essential and non-essential clauses incorrectly. The essential clauses incorrectly. The simple test is to take out the clause:simple test is to take out the clause:

• If the sentence makes sense AND does If the sentence makes sense AND does not change meaning, add commas.not change meaning, add commas.

• If the sentence makes sense AND If the sentence makes sense AND changes meaning, leave the commas changes meaning, leave the commas out.out.

• Most people make the mistake of Most people make the mistake of only seeing whether the sentence only seeing whether the sentence still makes sense, but the key is still makes sense, but the key is meaning.meaning.

One thing that may help you identify One thing that may help you identify essential and non-essential clauses is essential and non-essential clauses is

the the That/Which TestThat/Which Test.. • Essential clauses use Essential clauses use thatthat, non-essential clauses , non-essential clauses

use use whichwhich. .

• NOTE: Clauses don’t have to use one of those two words, but if you ever see a clause that starts with that or which, you can immediately identify it as essential and non-essential respectively.

• By the way, if you’ve ever heard an editor or English teacher talk about going on a which hunt, this is what they are talking about.

• They are making sure that the writer didn’t mix up using that for which and vice-versa. Many writers make the mistake of confusing the words.

• Oddly enough, editors and teachers make the same mistake too, but their error is more often because they completely eliminate one or the other which is, of course, incorrect.

PracticePractice

• For each of the following questions, you For each of the following questions, you could make the argument that the could make the argument that the clause is either essential or non-clause is either essential or non-essential. First, identify the clause and essential. First, identify the clause and then identify how it changes meaning if then identify how it changes meaning if the clause is essential or non-essential. the clause is essential or non-essential. I’ve given you my answer for the first I’ve given you my answer for the first one. I’ve purposefully left out the one. I’ve purposefully left out the commas.commas.

The computer that is on the The computer that is on the table will be thrown away.table will be thrown away.

– My AnswerMy Answer: The clause is : The clause is that is on the that is on the tabletable. If you make it essential (no commas), . If you make it essential (no commas), it specifically identifies which computer is to it specifically identifies which computer is to be thrown away. If it is non-essential be thrown away. If it is non-essential (commas), you would have to assume that (commas), you would have to assume that there is only one computer and that both the there is only one computer and that both the speaker and the hearer know which computer speaker and the hearer know which computer is being talked about. In this case, it makes a is being talked about. In this case, it makes a lot more sense to leave the clause as lot more sense to leave the clause as essential, but you could make it non-essential essential, but you could make it non-essential depending on the context.depending on the context.

• The car that I bought yesterday is The car that I bought yesterday is missing.missing.

• My new car which I bought My new car which I bought yesterday is missing.yesterday is missing.

• The lake that we visited last year is The lake that we visited last year is now severely polluted.now severely polluted.

• Our teacher who wrote the textbook Our teacher who wrote the textbook is Mr. Allen.is Mr. Allen.