Answer:
What is a Relative Clause?
A relative clause is a type of dependent clause that modifies or provides additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main clause of a sentence. Whether or not a relative clause requires commas to set it apart from the rest of a sentence depends on whether it is essential or nonessential to the meaning of the sentence.
An essential relative clause, also called a restrictive clause, provides information that is necessary to identify the noun or pronoun it modifies. Essential relative clauses do not require commas. For example:
- The book that I borrowed from the library was very interesting.
In this sentence, the relative clause "that I borrowed from the library" is essential to identify which book is being referred to. It does not require commas.
A nonessential relative clause, also called a nonrestrictive clause, provides additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Nonessential relative clauses require commas to set them apart from the rest of the sentence. For example:
- My favorite book, which I borrowed from the library, was very interesting.
In this sentence, the relative clause "which I borrowed from the library" is nonessential because the sentence would still be grammatically correct and convey the same meaning without it. Therefore, it requires commas to set it apart from the rest of the sentence.
Overall, whether a relative clause requires commas depends on whether it is essential or nonessential to the meaning of the sentence. If it is essential, it does not require commas. If it is nonessential, it does require commas.