Use Commas To Set Off Nonessential Adjective Clauses

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Use Commas To Set Off Non-essential Adjective
Clauses
By Andrea Kluger
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Well.what is an adjective clause?

• An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that
  modifies a noun or pronoun.
• Subordinate clauses are clauses that are
  introduced by a subordinating element or a
  relative pronoun. They do not express a complete
  thought and therefore do not stand alone.
• An example of a subordinate clause would be
• The girl who lives next door is very shy.
• She only talks to me because her mother
  makes her.
• There are three types of subordinate clauses.
• Noun Clauses
• Adjective Clauses
• Adverb Clauses
• For this comma rule we are talking about
  adjective clauses..

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Adjective Clauses
Adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun,
also known as a WH word. The relative pronouns
are Who Whose Whom Which That Adjective clauses
describe nouns or pronouns. For exampleif you
wanted an adjective clause to describe the word
dog.. The dog who likes to play fetch is always
at my front door. Notice that the adjective
clause begins with a relative pronoun and
describes the word dog. Any prepositional phrases
or links to the clause would also be part of the
adjective clause For example..The dog who likes
to play fetch under the tree is always at my
front door Notice that under the tree is a
prepositional phrase describing where the dog
likes to play fetch, and it is therefore part of
the adjective clause.
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Now that you know what an Adjective Clause
islets learn what an essential adjective clause
is.
Non-essential adjective clauses, are clauses that
are needed for the sentence to make sense. For
example All students who are on the honor roll
may leave early. Notice that if you removed who
are on the honor roll, you would be left with
All students may leave early. Obviously that
would not be the point you are trying to get
across in that sentence, and therefore who are on
the honor roll is an essential adjective clause
in the sentence, and you would not need a comma.
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Non-Essential Adjective Clauses

• Non-essential adjective clauses describe a proper
  noun, and you surround the adjective clause
  describing it with commas.
• For example
• A. Mr. Ellsworth and Mrs. Whompler whose humor
  appeals to many students have classrooms right
  next to each other.
• A. Whompler, students,
• 1.The baseball team that has played great ever
  since the beginning of baseball is the New York
  Yankees.
• 2.Babe Ruth who was a key batter for the Yankees
  had 2,213 career RBIs.

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• 3. Yankee Stadium which was built in 1921 is
  often referred to as The House that Ruth Built.
• 4. Mickey Mantle and Joe Dimaggio whose names
  will always be a legend to baseball set hitting
  records for the Yankees.
• The man to whom this team is owned by is an
  extremely wealthy man named George Steinbrenner
• Derek Jeter who is the current team captain for
  the Yankees is looked at highly my many girls
  around the world.

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• 7. The team that has won the most World Series
  is the Yankees, with 26 World Series titles, and
  39 league pennants.
• The Highlanders which was the previous name for
  the Yankees was replaced with The New York
  Yankees when journalists were looking to shorten
  the name.
• Yogi Berra who was a star player for the Yankees
  from 1946-1965 is one of the most quoted people
  in history, with famous statements like It aint
  over till its over and If you come to a fork
  in the road, take it.
• The team that will win the 2004 World Series is
  the New York Yankees.

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Answer Key

• 1. C
• 2. Ruth, Yankees,
• 3. Stadium, 1921,
• 4. Dimaggio, baseball,
• 5. C
• 6. Jeter, Yankees,
• 7. C
• 8. Highlanders, Yankees,
• 9. Berra, 1946-1965,
• 10. C

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Key Sites

• owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.ht
  ml - 22k
• http//www.montanalife.com/writing/Comma_Rules.htm
  l
• http//www.tameri.com/edit/phrases.html