Y06W12GR Relative clauses control
Relative clauses control
Writers often need to add detail about a person, thing or text. Relative clauses help you do that clearly, but the meaning changes depending on whether the detail is essential or just extra information.
- how relative clauses add detail to a noun
- how to tell essential detail from extra information
- how commas change the meaning of a sentence
- Relative clause adds detail about a noun, often with who, which or that.
- Essential detail tells the reader exactly which person or thing you mean.
- Extra information adds more detail, but the main meaning still works without it.
- Commas often show when the clause is extra information.
- Meaning first matters because punctuation follows meaning.
How it works
1Relative clauses add detail
A relative clause sits next to a noun and tells the reader more about it. This can make your writing more precise and smoother.
- Closer detail helps the reader know what you mean. For example, the article that uses strong images gives more detail about the article.
- Useful words include who for people and which or that for things and texts.
- Control matters because the clause should help the sentence, not crowd it.
2Essential detail: no commas
Sometimes the relative clause is needed to identify the noun. Without it, the meaning becomes too wide or unclear.
- Essential meaning tells the reader which one you mean. For example, The report that used student quotes sounded more personal points to one particular report.
- No commas are used when the detail is needed for the main meaning.
- Selection changes if the clause is removed, because the sentence becomes less exact.
3Extra information: use commas
Sometimes the noun is already clear, and the relative clause only adds more detail. In this case, the clause is not needed to identify the noun.
- Extra detail gives bonus information. For example, The documentary, which aired last night, focused on online ads still makes sense without the middle part.
- Commas show where the extra information begins and ends.
- Readability improves because the reader can see that the clause is not the main point.
4Meaning changes with punctuation
A small punctuation change can change the meaning of the whole sentence. This matters when you compare how texts represent ideas or events.
- Different meaning appears when commas are added or removed. For example, Students who checked more than one source wrote stronger comparisons means only some students did this.
- Wider meaning can appear with commas: Students, who checked more than one source, wrote stronger comparisons sounds like all the students did it.
- Best choice comes from asking whether the detail selects the noun or just comments on it.
See it in action
Adding essential detail
The article used emotional language was persuasive.
The article that used emotional language was persuasive.
The change is better because the clause identifies which article you mean.
Showing extra information with commas
The website which was updated yesterday includes a new graph.
The website, which was updated yesterday, includes a new graph.
The change is better because the update detail is extra information.
Fixing a meaning change
The students, who compared two texts, noticed bias.
The students who compared two texts noticed bias.
The change is better because it now means only those students noticed bias.
Keeping the main noun clear
The report which used interviews and which showed charts and which compared websites was helpful.
The report that compared websites was helpful.
The change is better because the sentence keeps only the most useful detail.
- Relative clauses add detail about a noun.
- Essential clauses help identify the noun and usually have no commas.
- Extra-information clauses add bonus detail and usually use commas.
- Commas can change the meaning of the sentence.
- Meaning first helps you choose the right punctuation.
- relative clause(n.) a clause that adds detail to a noun, such as the part in the article that used strong images
- essential(adj.) needed for the main meaning, such as the selecting detail in students who checked more than one source
- extra information(n.) added detail that is not needed to identify the noun, such as the middle part in the website, which was updated yesterday, ...
- comma(n.) punctuation that can mark extra information, such as the pair around which aired last night
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Opens in a new window.