SPaG Depth Set 4
SPaG Depth Set 4 covers relative clauses, which add extra information about a noun using words such as who, which, that or whose, and the punctuation choices that go with them. It focuses on the key distinction between a defining relative clause, essential to identifying which person or thing is meant, with no commas, and a non-defining relative clause, extra, removable information, marked off by commas.
Method
- Identify the relative clause in a sentence: the part starting with who, which, that, whose or whom that gives more information about a noun just before it.
- Test whether the relative clause is essential to identify which specific person or thing is meant; if removing it would leave the reader unsure exactly who or what is being talked about, it is defining.
- Punctuate a defining relative clause with no commas at all, since it is treated as an essential part of the sentence, not an extra addition.
- Test whether the relative clause simply adds extra, removable detail about a noun that is already clearly identified without it; if removing it leaves the sentence's core meaning unchanged, it is non-defining.
- Punctuate a non-defining relative clause by placing a comma before it, and after it too if it falls in the middle of the sentence rather than at the end.
- Remember that 'that' is normally only used to introduce a defining relative clause, never a non-defining one; a non-defining clause needs who, which or whose instead.
- When editing, read the sentence with the relative clause removed to check whether the core meaning survives; this quickly reveals whether commas are needed.
Worked example
Punctuate this sentence correctly and explain your choice: 'My uncle who lives in Canada is visiting us next month.' (Assume the speaker has only one uncle.)
- Identify the relative clause: 'who lives in Canada', describing my uncle.
- Test whether it is essential: since the speaker has only one uncle, 'who lives in Canada' is not needed to identify which uncle is meant; it is extra information.
- Because it is not essential and is non-defining, it needs to be marked off with commas.
- Add a comma before 'who' and, since the clause falls in the middle of the sentence before 'is visiting', a comma after 'Canada' too.
- Check the sentence still makes sense with the clause removed: 'My uncle is visiting us next month' works perfectly well alone, confirming the clause is genuinely extra.
- Final answer: 'My uncle, who lives in Canada, is visiting us next month.'
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1Should this sentence have commas around the relative clause: 'The book that I borrowed from the library is overdue.'? Explain your answer.Show answer
Answer: No commas; 'that I borrowed from the library' is a defining clause, telling the reader exactly which book is meant out of possibly many books, so it is essential and takes no commas.
Q2Punctuate correctly: 'Mount Everest which is the tallest mountain in the world attracts thousands of climbers each year.'Show answer
Answer: Mount Everest, which is the tallest mountain in the world, attracts thousands of climbers each year. This is non-defining, since there is only one Mount Everest, so the fact is extra information.
Q3Explain why 'The girl that won the race' would normally not use commas, while 'Sophie, who won the race,' would.Show answer
Answer: 'That won the race' identifies which girl out of possibly several is meant, so it is defining and needs no commas; 'Sophie' is already a specific, named individual, so 'who won the race' is extra information about her, making it non-defining and requiring commas.
Q4Correct this sentence if needed: 'Students, who arrive late, will not be admitted until the interval.' (Meaning: only late-arriving students are affected, not all students.)Show answer
Answer: Students who arrive late will not be admitted until the interval; no commas are needed because the clause is defining here, identifying exactly which students are meant, not all of them.
Q5Fill the gap with 'who' or 'that': 'The scientist ___ discovered the vaccine later won an award.' (a defining clause about a person)Show answer
Answer: who; for people, 'who' is the more standard choice, though 'that' is sometimes used informally.
Q6Explain what would change in meaning between 'My sister who lives in Leeds is a doctor' and 'My sister, who lives in Leeds, is a doctor', assuming the speaker has more than one sister.Show answer
Answer: Without commas, the sentence implies the speaker has more than one sister and is specifying which one, the one who lives in Leeds; with commas, it implies the speaker has only one sister, and the fact she lives in Leeds is just extra information about her.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Punctuate the following sentence correctly, and explain your reasoning: 'The Amazon rainforest which produces a huge share of the world's oxygen is under serious threat from deforestation.' (3 marks)
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Explain, with an example sentence of your own for each, the difference between a defining and a non-defining relative clause. (4 marks)
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A pupil wrote: 'The teacher, that taught my class last year, has now retired.' Identify the error in this sentence and correct it, explaining your reasoning. (3 marks)
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Free printable worksheet
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This topic is chapter 7 of 11+ English Workbook 3, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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