A restrictive clause modifies the noun that precedes it in an essential way. Restrictive clauses limit or identify such nouns and cannot be removed from a sentence without changing the sentence's meaning. A nonrestrictive clause, on the other hand, describes a noun in a nonessential way.
A nonessential phrase or clause can be lifted from a sentence with most of the meaning intact. If the sentence makes sense without the information and/or the clause is just additional information, it is a nonessential clause. These clauses ARE offset with commas.
An important consideration in this respect is whether a phrase or clause is restrictive or non-restrictive: it is restrictive if it is essential to the principal meaning of the sentence; it is non-restrictive if the principal meaning of the sentence is clear without it.
restrictive modifier adds information that is not essential to our understanding of the sentence; if we remove it from the sentence, the basic meaning of the sentence does not change. A restrictive modifier identifies, or limits the reference of, the noun it modifies.
Appositives, which rename nouns or pronouns within a sentence, can also be either restrictive or nonrestrictive. Restrictive elements (modifiers or appositives) do not require commas. Nonrestrictive elements (modifiers or appositives) do require commas.
A restrictive clause introduces information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause can be removed without changing the meaning. Restrictive clauses require no punctuation; nonrestrictive clauses are usually separated from the independent clause with commas.
Nonrestrictive elements are groups of words that can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. Because removing them does not change meaning, nonrestrictive elements can be set off from the rest of the sentence. CORRECT: I'd like to have more pets, but I only have one cat, Bill.
A restrictive clause introduces information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause can be removed without changing the meaning. Restrictive clauses require no punctuation; nonrestrictive clauses are usually separated from the independent clause with commas.
A restrictive clause modifies the noun that precedes it in an essential way. Restrictive clauses limit or identify such nouns and cannot be removed from a sentence without changing the sentence's meaning. A nonrestrictive clause, on the other hand, describes a noun in a nonessential way.
Ing to the Purdue OWL, an independent clause is “a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought.” A dependent clause is “a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.” Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (connecting word) .