Mastering Relative Clauses

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Mastering Defining & Non-defining Relative Clauses

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to explain and use defining and non-defining relative clauses.

Introduce the learning objective and explain how mastering non-defining relative clauses can improve writing skills.

What do you already know about relative clauses?

What are Relative Clauses?

Relative clauses are groups of words that are used to describe or provide additional information about a noun or a pronoun in a sentence.

Explain the concept of relative clauses and use examples to illustrate the point.

Structure of Non-defining Relative Clauses

Non-defining relative clauses are introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, where) and set off by commas.

Set off

start up, activate

Explain the structure of non-defining relative clauses and use examples to illustrate the point.

Which punctuation mark is used to set off non-defining relative clauses?

1. Question marks
2. Commas
3. Semicolons
4. Periods

Which of the following is a non-defining relative clause?

1. The house where I grew up is now for sale.
2. The girl whose name is Sarah is my neighbor.
3. My sister, who lives in London, is coming to visit.
4. The book that I read last night was very good.

What is the function of a non-defining relative clause?

1. To define a noun and limit its meaning.
2. To create a compound sentence.
3. To give extra information about a noun, without changing the meaning of the sentence.
4. To explain the cause and effect relationship between two things.

Examples of Non-defining Relative Clauses

The book, which I read last week, was very interesting. 

 My sister, who lives in Paris, is coming to visit me next month. 

 The concert, which was held last night, was amazing.

Provide examples of non-defining relative clauses and ask the students to identify the relative pronoun and the noun or pronoun it refers to.

Defining vs Non-defining Relative Clauses

Defining relative clauses identify or define a noun or a pronoun, whereas non-defining relative clauses provide additional, non-essential information.

Explain the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses and use examples to illustrate the point.

Defining relative clauses vs non-defining relative clauses

Defining relative clause:

An architect is someone who designs buildings.

Non-defining relative clause:

Jake, who is 15 years old, failed his test.

Defining relative clauses

Who	people	The woman who cut my hair
That	people	The woman that cut my hair
Which	things	It's the book which changed everything.
That	things	It's the book that she always wanted.
Where	places	This is the stadium where Go Ahead plays.
whose	posses	He's the actor whose wife cheated.

Defining Relative Clauses

Which	Dingen
Where	Locatie
Who	Persoon
Whose	Bezit/Verantwoordelijkheid

Which of the following is a defining relative clause?

1. I went to the store yesterday.
2. Sarah, my sister, loves to sing.
3. The restaurant down the street is delicious.
4. The man who stole my bike was arrested.

What is the purpose of a non-defining relative clause?

1. To identify or define a noun or pronoun.
2. To clarify a previously mentioned idea.
3. To provide additional, non-essential information.
4. To express a strong opinion or belief.

Which of the following sentences contains a non-defining relative clause?

1. The Dutch language, which has many exceptions, can be challenging to learn.
2. The Dutch, who are known for their windmills, make excellent cheese.
3. The Dutch cheese that I tried yesterday was delicious.
4. The Dutch people who live in Amsterdam are friendly.

What is the main difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses?

1. Non-defining clauses identify a noun or pronoun, while defining clauses provide additional information.
2. Defining clauses identify a noun or pronoun, while non-defining clauses provide additional information.
3. Both types of clauses provide essential information.
4. There is no difference between the two types of clauses.

Practice Exercise

Rewrite the following sentences using a non-defining relative clause: My uncle is a doctor. He gave me some medical advice.

Provide a practice exercise for the students to apply their knowledge of non-defining relative clauses. Ask the students to share their answers and provide feedback.

My uncle is a doctor. He gave me some medical advice.

Common Errors to Avoid

Do not use 'that' as a relative pronoun in non-defining relative clauses.
Do not omit the commas that set off the non-defining relative clause.

Highlight common errors that students tend to make when using non-defining relative clauses and provide explanations for each error.

Conclusion

By mastering non-defining relative clauses, you can add more detail and clarity to your writing. Keep practicing and applying your knowledge of non-defining relative clauses in your writing.

Summarize the key points of the lesson and emphasize the importance of practicing the use of non-defining relative clauses.

What do commas do in non-defining relative clauses?

1. Replace the relative pronoun
2. Introduce the non-defining relative clause
3. Set off the non-defining relative clause
4. Indicate a defining relative clause

What is the error to avoid in non-defining relative clauses?

1. Using 'who' as a relative pronoun
2. Using 'which' as a relative pronoun
3. Using 'that' as a relative pronoun
4. Omitting commas

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.