What Is a Non-Defining Relative Clause?
A defining relative clause says which person or thing you mean: the man who fixed my motorbike. A non-defining one adds extra information about someone the listener already knows. It sits between commas, and the sentence still works without it.
WHOextra information about a person
My mother, who is a nurse, often works at night.
WHICHextra information about a place
Huế, which was once the capital of Vietnam, is famous for its old citadel.
The words between the commas are extra. Take them out and the sentence still makes sense.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"My grandmother, blank is 85, still cooks every day."
The forms
, WHO / , WHICH
noun,who / which…,
My old laptop, which I bought in 2018, still works.
Never leave who or which out, even as the object.
, WHOSE / , WHERE
noun,whose + noun / where…,
My best friend, whose parents are doctors, wants to study medicine.
Whose for belonging, where for places (Cần Thơ, where my wife grew up).
, WHICH FOR A WHOLE IDEA
sentence,whichverb…
The bus was late again, which made me late for work.
Which refers to everything before it, not one noun.
Only who, which, whose and where, and you can't leave them out.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Phú Quốc, blank is an island in the south, has beautiful beaches."
When to use them
Writing about a place
Hội An, which is about 30 km from Đà Nẵng, is famous for its lanterns.
Common in travel writing, guidebooks and essays.
Thanking someone in a speech
I'd like to thank my aunt Mai, who cooked all this food.
A few words at a wedding or a party.
In everyday speech, people often use two sentences instead: My aunt cooked all this food. She's amazing!
Commas or No Commas?
| NO COMMAS (DEFINING) | COMMAS (NON-DEFINING) | |
|---|---|---|
| Example | My brother who lives in Huế is a teacher. | My brother, who lives in Huế, is a teacher. |
| Meaning | I have more than one brother: this is the one in Huế. | I have one brother. Huế is extra information. |
| That? | Yes | Never |
Names and one-of-a-kind things (my mother, the capital) almost always take commas.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"I only have one sister. blank"
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Đà Nẵng, that is my hometown, is very clean.
Correct:Đà Nẵng, which is my hometown, is very clean.
A clause between commas can't start with that. Use which.
Incorrect:My father who is 60 still plays tennis.
Correct:My father, who is 60, still plays tennis.
Without commas, it sounds like you have several fathers.
Incorrect:My new phone, I bought last month, is great.
Correct:My new phone, which I bought last month, is great.
Between commas, which can never be left out.
Incorrect:It rained all weekend, it ruined our trip.
Correct:It rained all weekend, which ruined our trip.
A comma can't join two sentences. Which can.
Incorrect:Hà Nội, which is the capital has many lakes.
Correct:Hà Nội, which is the capital, has many lakes.
Close the extra information with a second comma.
Quick check · 5 questions
Choose the correct word:
Mr Tuấn, who lives upstairs, is a taxi driver.
- A. who — Correct
- B. that
- C. which
Answer: A. who
A relative clause after a comma never uses that. Which is for things and places.
Choose the correct word:
My cousin Hạnh, whose husband is Korean, speaks three languages.
- A. whose — Correct
- B. who
- C. who's
Answer: A. whose
Whose shows belonging. Who's means who is.
Choose the correct sentence:
Sa Pa, which is in the north, gets very cold in winter.
- A. Sa Pa, which is in the north, gets very cold in winter. — Correct
- B. Sa Pa which is in the north, gets very cold in winter.
- C. Sa Pa, that is in the north, gets very cold in winter.
Answer: A. Sa Pa, which is in the north, gets very cold in winter.
B is missing the first comma. C uses that after a comma.
Choose the correct word:
The shop gave me a free coffee, which was nice.
- A. which — Correct
- B. that
- C. it
Answer: A. which
With it, you get two sentences joined by a comma. Use which.
Read: "Lan's brother, who is a pilot, lives in Singapore." What does it tell you?
Lan has one brother, and he is a pilot.
- A. Lan has one brother, and he is a pilot. — Correct
- B. Lan has several brothers, and this is the pilot.
Answer: A. Lan has one brother, and he is a pilot.
"A pilot" is extra information. With several brothers, the sentence would drop the commas.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 14 questions