ADJECTIVE CLAUSES AND APPOSITIVES

APPOSITIVES

• Adds extra information. Explain, give detail to the noun or noun phrase beside it.

• The cat sat in the snow.

• Details? Which cat?

• The cat, a grumpy feline in a Christmas hat, sat in the snow.

COMMAS

• My friend makes incredible chocolate fudge

Which friend?

My friend Tina makes incredible fudge.

Tina is a necessary appositive ( not extra information), because I didn’t know which friend made the fudge. So, I don’t use commas.

Tina, my friend, makes incredible fudge.

“my friend” is not a necessary appositive (extra information), because I know which friend made the fudge. So, I use commas

Tina

REMEMBER!!

Necessary information (don’t use commas)

Unnecessary information (use commas)

ADJECTIVE CLAUSES GIVE EXTRA INFORMATION TO THE NONE

(MODIFIES THE NOUN OF A SENTENCE)

WHEN TO USE COMMAS NONRESTRICTIVE /

NONESSENTIAL

• Pizza, which most people love, is not very healthy.

• Chicago, which is located on lake Michigan, is the third largest city.

• Sulaf, who is my reading and writing teacher, loves her students from Peru.

The information between the commas is “extra” information. I can take it out, and it would not change the meaning of the sentence.

WHEN TO NOT USE COMMAS RESTRICTIVE / ESSENTIAL

• The woman who is wearing the red dress is my piano teacher.

• The people whose names are on the list will go to camp.

• Grandpa remembers the old days when there was no television.

• Fruit that is grown organically is expensive.

• Students who are intelligent get good grades.

• Eco-friendly cars that run on electricity save gas.

• I know someone whose father served in World War II.

• The kids who were called first will have the best chance of getting a seat.

REMEMBER!

• Commas = a non-restrictive adjective clause = nonessential information

• No Commas = a restrictive adjective clause = essential information

INTERESTING COMMA USE

• My brother, who lives in Tempe, is an engineer.

• One brother, extra information.

• Nonrestrictive/ nonessential

• My brother who lives in Tempe is an engineer.

• More than one brother, it is important information

• Restrictive/ essential