Relative Clauses: Defining or non-defining? | Baamboozle - Baamboozle

English 15 Public

A game to identify defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Study Slideshow

Defining or Non-defining? Sarah likes the boy who has short, blond hair.

Defining! We don't know which boy Sarah likes, unless we receive the information that he has short, blond hair.

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Defining or Non-defining? Tim, who has short, blond hair, is very good at sport.

Non-defining! The essential information is that Tim is good at sport, and we are adding the extra detail about his hair.

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Defining or Non-defining? Mary's cat, which likes to sit on her lap, is a Maine Coon.

Non-defining! Essential information: Mary's cat is a Maine Coon. Extra information: it likes to sit on her lap.

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Defining or Non-defining? We broke the computer which belonged to my father.

Defining! Which computer did we break? My father's one!

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Defining or Non-defining? Sally phoned a friend that lives nearby.

Defining! Which friend did Sally call? One of her friends that lives nearby!

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Defining or Non-defining? The customer liked the waitress that was very friendly.

Defining! It was the waitress that was very friendly who was the one that the customer liked, not the other waitresses.

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Defining or Non-defining? The customer liked the waitress, who was very friendly.

Non-defining! We know which waitress we are talking about, and we are saying that the customer liked her. Extra info: she was very friendly.

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Defining or Non-defining? I sent an email to my brother that lives in Australia.

Defining! No commas here. The speaker has more than one brother, but they are talking specifically about the one that lives in Australia (not the others).

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Defining or Non-defining? I sent an email to my brother, who lives in Australia.

Non-defining! We have commas here. The speaker only has one brother (or has already mentioned which brother), and is adding extra info about where he lives.

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