Restrictive and Nonrestrictive ClausesRestrictive clauses limit the meaning of a noun or pronoun, so they are not set off by commas. Example: My father told the woman who called yesterday that I was not home.Nonrestrictive clauses supply additional information but are not essential to the sentences meaning, so they are set off by commas.Example: My father told Mary, the woman who called yesterday, that I was not home.Example: Restrictive The teacher decided to give the students who failed a second chance.Nonrestrictive Dick Prosser, the protagonist of Wolfes Child By Tiger, suffers a mental breakdown at the end.In each of the following sentences, label the imbedded clause as restrictive or nonrestricitve and add commas accordingly.1. Magic Johnson who is a famous basketball player is coming to our hometown next week.2. Harper Lee who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird impressed me with her work.3. Athletes who use drugs are no longer eligible to play.4. Employees who are slack on the job are going to be fired soon.5. A building which burned last week was over sixty years old.6. Carol the coach of the girls basketball team was very successful in her career.7. Jim Davis the great cartoonist draws Garfield the cat America loves.9. Chris the leader of the baseball team wont play today.10. My eldest brother David is the most brilliant of my brothers.11. The student union a meeting place for all students stands at the center of the campus.12. The American flag which is red, white, and blue is beautiful.13. A person who specializes in accounting needs time and patience.14. Students who receive F grades may return to the same class the next quarter.15. Only girls who have boyfriends on the team receive special benefits.16. Macon which is now growing rapidly has a very large mall.17. The dog that ate the cat has indigestion.18. Fathers who try to mold their sons may pressure them too much.

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses and Appositives Key1. Nonrestrictive Magic Johnson, who is a famous basketball player, is coming to our hometown next week. 2. Nonrestrictive Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, impressed me with her work.3. Restrictive Athletes who use drugs are no longer eligible to play.4. Restrictive Employees who are slack on the job are going to be fired soon.5. Restrictive A building which burned last week was over sixty years old.6. Nonrestrictive Carol, the coach of the girls basketball team, was very successful in her career.7. Nonrestrictive Jim Davis, the great cartoonist, draws Garfield, the cat America loves.8. Nonrestrictive Chris, the leader of the baseball team, wont play today.9. Nonrestrictive My eldest brother, David, is the most brilliant of my brothers.10. Nonrestrictive The student union, a meeting place for all students, stands at the center of the campus.11. Nonrestrictive The American flag, which is red, white, and blue, is beautiful.12. Restrictive A person who specializes in accounting needs time and patience.13. Restrictive Students who receive F grades may return to the same class the next quarter.14. Restrictive Only girls who have boyfriends on the team receive special benefits.15. Nonrestrictive Macon, which is now growing rapidly, has a very large mall.16. Restrictive The dog that ate the cat has indigestion.17. Restrictive Fathers who try to mold their sons may pressure them too much.