Sorting Out Essential and Nonessential Clauses

essential clause modify key words and are important to the main idea of ​​a sentence. unnecessary clause provides interesting information but does not change the main idea of ​​the sentence. Unnecessary clauses are offset by punctuation such as commas or parentheses to indicate the clause is a party.

In English grammar, a clause is a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb and provides necessary or unnecessary information. So we have what are called “essential” and “non-essential” clauses. Each is used differently, so knowing which is important in the text. For readers who are not familiar with grammatical terms necessary And unnecessary or don’t know what kind of clauses require punctuation, this is an essential article to study.

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Necessary or Not Necessary?

As their description suggests, essential and non-essential clauses oppose each other. Necessary used to describe a clause that is an important part of a sentence because it modifies a keyword. For example, under “Bonuss are given to employees who meet their sales quota”, Who The clause limits which employees receive bonuses, making it necessary for the statement of the sentence.

An unnecessary clause is essentially one side or provides unnecessary information about a previous word that may be interesting but not important to the main point of the sentence. For example, in “Fall, my favorite season starts next week,” “what’s my favorite season” is an unnecessary clause that does not affect the sentence “Fall starts next week.” .” Because it does not restrict or modify the word Fallthe clause can also be described as unlimited; conversely, since an essential clause restricts or modifies a word, it can be called limit.

Punctuation defining the clause is not important

Punctuation, or the lack of punctuation, can help identify an essential or unnecessary clause. The essential clause is not preceded by a comma or other inner punctuation, such as a dash or parenthesis, with the understanding that it is a necessary part of the sentence. Conversely, an unnecessary clause is posed with a punctuation mark that visually marks it as separate from the main body of the sentence. To check if a clause is really unnecessary, drop it and read the sentence again. If the main point of the sentence is not lost or distorted, then yes, it is unnecessary and needs punctuation. Otherwise, it is necessary and does not require punctuation.

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Here are some example sentences that show the function of essential and non-essential clauses.

Caffeinated tea keeps me up at night. [That clauses are usually essential, like this one.]

My new fridge about 5 years old started to leak. [Which clauses are often nonessential, like this one.]

Emily Dickinson—born in Amherst, Massachusetts—is an American poet. [The who clause is nonessential.]

The first astronaut to set foot on the Moon was Neil Armstrong. [The who clause is essential.]

Those on the list have won prizes. [The whose clause is essential.]

The student was introduced to the famous artist, whom she was delighted to meet. [The whom clause is nonessential.]

As these examples demonstrate, the relative pronouns that thing, which, Who, whoseAnd Who used to introduce both essential and non-essential clauses that modify or describe a noun. The following are examples of essential and non-essential clauses in which relative pronouns are implied but not expressed.

The person sitting next to me didn’t stop talking throughout the show. [The clause “(who was) seated next to me” is essential.]

Students attempting to join the team must register by Friday. [The clause “(who are) trying out for the team” is essential.]

The house we wanted to see has been sold. [The clause “(that) we wanted to look at” is essential.]

The company, based in Boston, is changing its name. [The clause “(which is) located in Boston” is nonessential.]

The band, playing the latest hits, entertained the crowd. [The phrase “(which was) playing the latest hits” is nonessential.]

My 11th grade physics teacher inspired me. [The phrase “(whom) I had in 11th grade” is essential.]

The writer’s perception of essential and non-essential clauses, and when to correctly include or exclude commas or other punctuation when using them, may not be noticed by the reader (because the use correct punctuation and regular grammar). However, having that awareness of the writer can make the reader’s experience much more pleasant (or much less painful). It is an essential quality that a good writer must have.

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Categories: Usage Notes
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