How do you punctuate relative clauses?

Relative Clauses Questions Medium



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How do you punctuate relative clauses?

Relative clauses are punctuated differently depending on whether they are defining or non-defining.

Defining relative clauses provide essential information about the noun they modify and are not separated by commas. They are necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence. For example: "The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting."

Non-defining relative clauses provide additional, non-essential information about the noun they modify and are separated by commas. They can be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning. For example: "My sister, who is a doctor, lives in London."

In summary, defining relative clauses are not separated by commas, while non-defining relative clauses are separated by commas.