What Are Non-defining Clauses
A non-defining clause is a type of relative clause that adds extra information to a sentence without changing its essential meaning. It is separated from the rest of the sentence by commas and provides additional details about a noun or pronoun mentioned before.
Structure of Non-defining Clauses
Non-defining clauses usually begin with relative pronouns like who, which, whose, or where. Unlike defining clauses, they are not essential to the meaning of the sentence and can be removed without altering the main point.
Examples of Non-defining Clauses
For example, My brother, who lives in London, is a doctor. The clause who lives in London is non-defining; it gives extra information about my brother but is not necessary to identify him. Removing it still leaves a complete sentence.
Commas and Non-defining Clauses
Non-defining clauses are always set off by commas because they contain non-essential information. The commas indicate to the reader that the clause can be ignored without changing the sentence's crucial meaning.
Differences from Defining Clauses
Defining clauses provide essential information to identify the noun and do not use commas, e.g., The man who called you is waiting. In contrast, non-defining clauses give extra information about a known noun, e.g., Mr. Smith, who called you, is waiting.
Usage Tips for Spanish Speakers
In Spanish, non-defining clauses are often translated using que, quien, or cuyo, and the information added is also separated by commas. Understanding the use of commas and relative pronouns in non-defining clauses helps avoid confusion between essential and extra information in English sentences.
