1

Defining and Non-Defining Adjective Clauses(10.6 p.338)

Defining Adjective Clauses
Defining adjective clauses normally answer the questions which or what kind. In other words,
the information in the clause helps to define the noun that it follows in some way. The meaning of the
sentence is not really complete without the clause. Restrictive adjective clauses are NOT set off with
commas.
examples: (ø)Natural pits that result from the collapse of (ø) limestone bedrock that
expose groundwater are called (ø) cenotes.
A cenote is a natural pit that results from the collapse of (ø) limestone bedrock
that exposes groundwater.
The pencils that we use for the IEP exams are wooden.
The video game which I bought was on the best-selling list for one year.
The information in the first set of examples explains what kind of pit a cenote is. It defines the
word cenote. In the second set of sentences, the adjective clause explains which pencils are wooden
and which video game was on the best-selling list for one year.

Non-Defining Adjective Clauses

Non-defining adjective clauses are those which contain information which is not necessary to
complete the meaning of the sentence. This information is additional useful information about the
topic/subject, but it does not define the noun which precedes the clause. Non-defining adjective clauses
are set off from the rest of the sentence by commas. The information in the clause does not define the
noun preceding it for one of two reasons: previous identification (shared information) or reference to an
entire group.
1. A previously identified noun can fall into one of the following categories:
a. a proper noun
example: Mun Choi, who is the President of the University of Missouri, has a residence
in Columbia.

b. a noun which has been identified previously in the text

example: A reckless driver caused the accident at the corner of 6th Street and
Broadway Avenue. The driver, who had an expired license, was fined $500.

NOTE: In a textbook, the 2nd mention of a noun often has this/these or such instead of the.
examples: Orcas are apex predators. These animals, which are rarely dangerous
to humans, usually feed on other predatory fish and sea mammals.
Many hand-held devices are now connected to the internet via satellite.
Such devices, which include phones and tablets, allow easy long-distance
communication.

c. a noun which is one of a kind (the sun, an only brother, a unique product or item)
examples: The sun, which is 93,000,000 miles from earth, provides heat and light for our
planet.
General Motors has designed a new solar-powered engine, which will be
ready for production in ten years.
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2. An entire group is often referred to in a generalization. When a generalization is made, two or

more pieces of information may be given in the same sentence. The subordinate idea is often
placed in an adjective clause. This clause does not provide information which defines the noun
which precedes it. Therefore, it is set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.
examples: Garden snakes, which are often feared, are actually harmless to humans.
The brothers, who (all) served in the 10th Army, were awarded a medal for heroism.
NOTE: In the second example, the commas denote that all of the brothers served in the 10th
Army and that all of them were awarded a medal for heroism.

If no commas are used with the same adjective clause, the sentence changes meaning.
example: The brothers who served in the same military unit were awarded a medal for heroism.
(This sentence means that only some of them served in the same military unit
and those who did were awarded a medal for heroism.)

Note on article Usage:

In #2 above, the first example uses no article (ø) with the noun garden snakes, but commas are
used. This is because the relative clause does NOT explain what kind of garden snakes.
Compare the examples below.
What kind of: (Ø)Garden snakes that have yellow or orange stripes are called garter snakes.
Which: The garden snakes in my yard scare me whenever I see them.
Generic: (Ø) Garden snakes, which are often feared as much as other snakes, are actually
(all) completely harmless to humans.

3. In 10.8 B on page 343, you will see examples of adjective clauses that begin with quantity
expressions. These are ALWAYS set off with commas.
examples: I know a lot of international students, most of whom are from South America.
Today, I need to do a lot of work, none of which I want to do.
*This handout, the purpose of which is to add information to the text, is quite long.
*This adjective clause indicates a possessive relationship.

4. In 10.9 on page 347, you will see examples of adjective clauses that modify whole sentences or
ideas. These are ALWAYS set off with commas. As stated in the text, this type of clause is often
used in spoken English. However, a clause modifying a clause or idea is sometimes used in a
cause-effect sequence in academic English.
examples: The tornado touched down near the mall, which caused the roof of the mall
to collapse.
Sandra’s GPA in high school was a 4.0, which enabled her to get an academic
scholarship for her college education.
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Exercise 1: In the items below, add commas around the adjective clauses where necessary.
Examples: The TOEFL, which is a difficult exam, is given all around the world.
(NO) The exam that I am required to take before entering graduate school is TOEFL.

1. The ancient Maya of Mexico's Yucatán peninsula believed cenotes were doors to a world
inhabited by Chaak, who was the god of life-giving rain.

2. The discoveries that have been made by archeologist Guillermo de Anda, who began exploring
the Holtún cenote in 2010, support the view that the Maya used the cenotes for religious
purposes.

3. De Anda found ancient offerings that included a rock shelf with human and dog skulls, pottery,
deer bones, and a knife, stone carvings, and columns below the water.

4. Corn, which is a diet staple for the Maya, requires lots of water and exact amounts of seasonal
rains.

5. From the 9th to the 15th centuries, as many as 750,000 people lived in Angkor's capital, which
was an urban complex in an area as large as New York City which was also home to Angkor Wat,
which is one of the largest religious monuments in history.

6. Over time, religious ideas changed in Angkor from Hinduism to Theravada Buddhism, which was
a change which lessened the authority of Hindu rulers and caused uprisings.

7. Angkor built a system of canals and reservoirs that collected water in rainy months and
dispersed it in dry months.

8. If rice, which was the staple of the Southeast Asian diet, was not available in all areas, some
people were starving which probably created social unrest.

9. Mira Rai, who is a high-elevation racer, grew up in a rural village in the eastern part of Nepal.

10. Mira, who is the eldest daughter of five, had no choice but to drop out of school and work to
help support her family. The work, which involved hauling large bags of rice up and down steep
mountain trails, was slow and difficult.
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11. Alex Honnold, who is the first and only person to have free-solo climbed El Capitan, ascended
nearly 3,000 feet in Yosemite National Park without a rope or gear to protect him in the event of
a fall.

12. Honnold and his group travel to the mountains near the village of Taghia, which Honnold has
nicknamed the "Yosemite of limestone."

13. The village of Taghia, which is reachable only by a 5-hour car drive and a two-hour hike, is
certainly more isolated than Yosemite.

14. In 2014, the United Nations released a report, which stated that over the past 130 years, the
Earth's temperature has risen by about 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. Someone who has a bias tends to favor one thing over another.

16. People who have reached a consensus have found agreement.

17. The source of the Missouri River, which is one of the widest rivers in the United States, is in
western Minnesota.

18. An innovation is a thing that is new or a new way of doing something.

19. The company that my brother works for, whose chairman of the board earns well over $10
million a year, did not make a profit last year.

20. My upstairs neighbors, who are often quite noisy, are going to move out of the building soon.

21. Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated just a short time after he was elected to his second
term in office, is thought to be responsible for preventing the United States from breaking up.

22. The students in our class that enjoy playing soccer usually play at Stankowski Field.

23. My first car, which I bought just after I got my first job, was a small white Buick.

24. The textbook for our class, which has a blue cover was written by Anne Ediger.

25. Joe, who is our reading teacher, gives a considerable amount of homework every day.
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KEY
1. The ancient Maya of Mexico's Yucatán peninsula believed cenotes were doors to a world
inhabited by Chaak, who was the god of life-giving rain.
2. The discoveries that have been made by archeologist Guillermo de Anda, who began exploring
the Holtún cenote in 2010, support the view that the Maya used the cenotes for religious
purposes.
3. De Anda found ancient offerings that included a rock shelf with human and dog skulls, pottery,
deer bones, and a knife, stone carvings, and columns below the water.
4. Corn, which is a diet staple for the Maya, requires lots of water and exact amounts of seasonal
rains.
5. From the 9th to the 15th centuries, as many as 750,000 people lived in Angkor's capital, which
was an urban complex in an area as large as New York City which was also home to Angkor Wat,
which is one of the largest religious monuments in history.
6. Over time, religious ideas changed in Angkor from Hinduism to Theravada Buddhism, which was
a change which lessened the authority of Hindu rulers and caused uprisings.
7. Angkor built a system of canals and reservoirs that collected water in rainy months and
dispersed it in dry months.
8. If rice, which was the staple of the Southeast Asian diet, was not available in all areas, some
people were starving, which probably created social unrest.
9. Mira Rai, who is a high-elevation racer, grew up in a rural village in the eastern part of Nepal.
10. Mira, who is the eldest daughter of five, had no choice but to drop out of school and work to
help support her family. The work, which involved hauling large bags of rice up and down steep
mountain trails, was slow and difficult.
11. Alex Honnold, who is the first and only person to have free-solo climbed El Capitan, ascended
nearly 3,000 feet in Yosemite National Park without a rope or gear to protect him in the event of
a fall.
12. Honnold and his group travel to the mountains near the village of Taghia, which Honnold has
nicknamed the "Yosemite of limestone."
13. The village of Taghia, which is reachable only by a 5-hour car drive and a two-hour hike, is
certainly more isolated than Yosemite.
14. In 2014, the United Nations released a report that stated that over the past 130 years, the
Earth's temperature has risen by about 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. Someone who has a bias tends to favor one thing over another.
16. People who have reached a consensus have found agreement.
17. The source of the Missouri River, which is one of the widest rivers in the United States, is in
western Minnesota.
18. An innovation is a thing that is new or a new way of doing something.
19. The company that my brother works for, whose chairman of the board earns well over $10
million a year, did not make a profit last year.
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20. My upstairs neighbors, who are often quite noisy, are going to move out of the building soon.
21. Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated just a short time after he was elected to his second
term in office, is thought to be responsible for preventing the United States from breaking up.
22. The students in our class that enjoy playing soccer usually play at Stankowski Field.
23. My first car, which I bought just after I got my first job, was a small white Buick.
24. The textbook for our class, which has a blue cover, was written by Anne Ediger.
25. Joe, who is our reading teacher, gives a considerable amount of homework every day.
 7

Exercise 2: In the items below, add commas around the adjective clauses where necessary.
Examples: The TOEFL, which is a difficult exam, is given all around the world.
(NO) The exam that I am required to take before entering graduate school is TOEFL.

1. The speech that I’m planning to give later this week will be approximately eight minutes long.

2. The section of the TOEFL that I find the most difficult is the listening section.

3. The St. Louis Gateway Arch, during the building of which no workers were killed, is a symbol of
westward expansion in the United States.

4. The bus that stops at the corner of Sixth and Elm streets goes to Brady Commons.

5. To get to class, I take the blue line bus, which stops at the Student Center.

6. Yesterday I saw a terrible accident. The pile-up, which involved three cars, occurred at the
corner of Providence Road and Stadium Boulevard.

7. The movie I watched last night, which is called Klute, is a mystery.

8. I live in an apartment building that contains mostly two-bedroom apartments.

9. It’s important for everyone to have someone that he or she can talk to.

10. Anyone who needs help should stop by the instructor’s office during office hours.

12. I’m going to throw away my coffee maker, which stopped working last week.

13. Yesterday I met a man, whose family lives in my home county. The man, who sits behind me in
my math class, has offered to give me a ride home during the next vacation.

14. In 1992 Hurricane Andrew hit Florida very hard. This hurricane destroyed many shops that sold
exotic animals, many of which escaped into the Everglades, which are the wetlands of Florida.

15. Since 1992 when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida the population of pythons has been steadily
increasing. These huge snakes, which are not native to that area, are responsible for the
reduction of the population of many native species, such as pelicans and flamingoes.
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16. An ultramarathon is a long-distance race though rural areas, up steep hills, and down deep
valleys that lasts more than a day. Most ultramarathon races are broken up into stages which
allows the participants to rest during the race. However, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc the route
of which runs through the Alps is a non-stop race. Because the race lasts through the night, the
participants are required to bring appropriate gear which includes flashlights and a security
blanket.

17. An invader is someone who enters another country by force.

18. The scariest movie that I watched during my childhood is called The Haunting which is about a
troubled woman who participates in a paranormal experiment in a house that is thought to be
haunted. The reason why the movie is so scary is that there really is a ghost in the house. The
ghost who seemingly wants to keep the troubled woman in the house actually makes it happen.
As a result, the movie left me feeling afraid to walk home in the dark.

19. It’s important for everyone to have someone that they can confide in. This confidant who could
be a friend or a relative can help alleviate a person’s anxiety in a number of ways.

20. LeBron James who grew up in Ohio started playing in the NBA just after he graduated from high
school. Durin his career which has lasted nearly 20 years he has scored more points than any
other NBA player in history.

21. Who was the worst teacher you have ever had? What is the reason why you didn’t like this
teacher? Did this person have habits that you didn’t like? Was the person someone who was
boring to listen to?

22. While she was at the local bookstore, Jennifer chose a book that was written by her favorite
mystery writer. In addition, she bought several other books most of which were mysteries too.

23. Workers whose shifts end at 7:00 A.M. often sleep all day. These people who work all night
most days of the week have to establish daily routines that are the opposite of most other
people.

24. This exercise the purpose of which is to identify adjective clauses that require commas has been
easy to do.
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KEY
1. The speech that I’m planning to give later this week will be approximately eight minutes long.
2. The section of the TOEFL that I find the most difficult is the listening section.
3. The St. Louis Gateway Arch, during the building of which no workers were killed, is a symbol of
westward expansion in the United States.
4. The bus that stops at the corner of Sixth and Elm streets goes to Brady Commons.
5. To get to class, I take the Blue Line bus, which stops at the Student Center.
6. Yesterday I saw a terrible accident. The pile-up, which involved three cars, occurred at the
corner of Providence Road and Stadium Boulevard.
7. The movie I watched last night, which is called Klute, is a mystery.
8. I live in an apartment building that contains mostly two-bedroom apartments.
9. It’s important for everyone to have someone that he or she can talk to.
10. Anyone who needs help should stop by the instructor’s office during office hours.
12. I’m going to throw away my coffee maker, which stopped working last week.
13. Yesterday I met a man whose family lives in my home county. The man, who sits behind me in
my math class, has offered to give me a ride home during the next vacation.
14. In 1992 Hurricane Andrew hit Florida very hard. This hurricane destroyed many shops that sold
exotic animals, many of which escaped into the Everglades, which are the wetlands of Florida.
15. Since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida, the population of pythons has been steadily
increasing. These huge snakes, which are not native to that area, are responsible for the
reduction of the population of many native species, such as pelicans and flamingoes.
16. An ultramarathon is a long-distance race though rural areas, up steep hills, and down deep
valleys that lasts more than a day. Most ultramarathon races are broken up into stages, which
allows the participants to rest during the race. However, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, the
route of which runs through the Alps, is a non-stop race. Because the race lasts through the
night, the participants are required to bring appropriate gear, which includes flashlights and a
security blanket.
17. An invader is someone who enters another country by force.
18. The scariest movie that I watched during my childhood is called The Haunting, which is about a
troubled woman who participates in a paranormal experiment in a house that is thought to be
haunted. The reason why the movie is so scary is that there really is a ghost in the house. The
ghost, who seemingly wants to keep the troubled woman in the house, actually makes it
happen. As a result, the movie left me feeling afraid to walk home in the dark.
19. It’s important for everyone to have someone that they can confide in. This confidant, who could
be a friend or a relative, can help alleviate a person’s anxiety in a number of ways.
20. LeBron James, who grew up in Ohio, started playing in the NBA just after he graduated from
high school. Durin his career, which has lasted nearly 20 years, he has scored more points than
any other NBA player in history.
10

21. Who was the worst teacher you have ever had? What is the reason why you didn’t like this
teacher? Did this person have habits that you didn’t like? Was the person someone who was
boring to listen to?
22. While she was at the local bookstore, Jennifer chose a book that was written by her favorite
mystery writer. In addition, she bought several other books, most of which were mysteries too.
23. Workers whose shifts end at 7:00 A.M. often sleep all day. These people, who work all night
most days of the week, have to establish daily routines that are the opposite of most other
people.
24. This exercise, the purpose of which is to identify adjective clauses that require commas, has
been easy to do.