RestrictiveRelativeClauses
Arelativeclauseisdefiningwhenitsinputisnecessarytounderstandthenounitexplains;
withoutit,thenoundoesnotmakemuchsense.
Examples:
● ThewomanwholivesacrossthestreetwatchesmycatwhenIgoonvacation.
● ThepersonwhomIcalledtodaywasmyhighschoolteacher.
● Thecarthathitthecatwasredandyellow.
● TheschoolwhoseWritingCenterwearevisitingisreallyimpressive.
Restrictiveclausesarenecessary,sotheydonotuseanypunctuationtosetthemofffromthe
nountheyaremodifying.
Who
isonlyusedforpeopleandreplacessubjectnouns.
Whom
isonlyusedforpeopleandreplacesobjectnouns.
That
isusedforplaces,things,andideas.
Whose
isusedforpeople,places,things,andideas.
NonrestrictiveRelativeClauses
Arelativeclauseisnondefiningwhenitcanbedeletedwithoutaffectingthemeaningofthe
sentence;inthiscaseitshouldbesurroundedbycommas.
Examples:
● Ms.Johnson,whoisverybeautiful,isasmartteacher.
● Theplumber,whomIcalledthismorning,isalreadyhere!
● Thecar,whichIwasdrivinginmysenioryear,caughtfireonI35inMissouri.
● Thecar,whosedriverjumpedoutbeforetheaccident,wascompletelydestroyed.
Nonrestrictiveclausesarenotnecessary,sotheyareplacedwithincommastosetthemofffrom
thenountheyaremodifying.
Who
isonlyusedforpeopleandreplacessubjectnouns.
Whom
isonlyusedforpeopleandreplacesobjectnouns.
Which
isusedforplaces,things,andideas.
Whose
isusedforpeople,places,things,andideas.