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THE ESSENTIAL CLAUSE
Recognize an essential clause when you find one.
An adjective clause can be either essential or nonessential. To make the distinction,
you must analyze the function of the clause in that particular sentence. When an
adjective clause is essential, it is clarifying a general, ambiguous noun in such a way
that readers understand which one of many the writer means.
Read these examples:
The man who ordered another double anchovy pizza claims to have a
pet dolphin in his backyard pool.
Which man among the billions of human males on the planet? The one who
ordered another double anchovy pizza!
Freddie hopes to return to the city where he met a woman with
haunting green eyes.
Which of the many cities on the planet? The one where Freddie met a woman
with haunting green eyes!
The student who needs an A on the final exam is copying statistics
formulae on her bare ankle.
Which of the many students in the class? The one who needs an A on the final
exam!
Note that the exact same clauses above—in sentences with minor alterations—can
become nonessential.
Read these versions:
Mr. Hall, who ordered another double anchovy pizza, claims to have a
pet dolphin in his backyard pool.
Freddie hopes to return to Cairo, where he met a woman with
haunting green eyes.
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Veronica, who needs an A on the final exam, is copying statistics
formulae on her bare ankle.
In place of ambiguous nouns like man, city, and student, we now have Mr. Hall,
Cairo, and Veronica, specific proper nouns. The information in the adjective clauses
might be interesting, but that information is not necessary, for we already know which
man, which city, and which student.
A proper noun usually signals that the adjective clause is nonessential. Sometimes,
though, you will find such a well-defined common noun that the adjective clause is a
mere accessory.
Read this example:
As we sped through the neighborhood, we spotted crows eating
French fries tossed on the road. They did not fly to a tree as we
expected. The birds, which never showed fear of the vehicle, watched
as we swerved around them.
Birds is a common noun, but the adjective clause is nonessential because we know the
exact birds that the writer means.
Punctuate essential clauses correctly.
Since an essential clause provides necessary description for a vague noun, use no
punctuation to separate it from the rest of the sentence.
The car that Madeline purchased from a neighbor belches black
smoke whenever she accelerates.
We took Grandma to a restaurant where servers bring everyone a
slice of birthday cake.
The waiter who served the salad did not notice the caterpillar
nibbling a lettuce leaf.
Which car? Which restaurant? Which waiter? We need that information in the
adjective clause.
When the clause becomes decorative rather than defining—or nonessential—you will
then need to separate it with commas:
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The ancient Buick, which Madeline purchased from a neighbor,
belches black smoke whenever she accelerates.
We took Grandma to Hullabaloo’s Excellent Eats, where servers bring
everyone a slice of birthday cake.
Javier, who served the salad, did not notice the caterpillar nibbling a
lettuce leaf.
