Restrictive Clause : A restrictive modifying clause (or essential clause) is an adjective clause that is essential

to the meaning of a sentence because it limits the thing it refers to.

The meaning of the sentence would change if the clause were deleted.

Because restrictive clauses are essential, they are not set off by commas.

All students who do their work should pass easily.

The car that I want is out of my price range.

The gas company will discontinue our service unless we pay our bills by Friday.

Nonrestrictive Clauses : A nonrestrictive modifying clause (or nonessential clause) is an adjective clause that
adds extra or nonessential information to a sentence.

The meaning of the sentence would not change if the clause were to be omitted. Nonrestrictive modifying
clauses are usually set off by commas.

Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote "The Raven," is a great American poet.

Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony until 1898, when it was ceded to the United States.

1. Wrong: Great white sharks the most fearsome creatures of the sea are actually less dangerous than
they appear.
Correct: Great white sharks, the most fearsome creatures of the sea, are actually less dangerous than they
appear.
The phrase the most fearsome creatures of the sea is nonessential because it just adds additional description to
the sentence. If we take it out, what’s left is still a sentence that makes sense grammatically
2. Wrong: The guy, cleaning the room, is the janitor. Correct: The guy cleaning the room is the janitor.
The phrase cleaning the room is an essential element because it specifies which guy. In other words, there are
multiple guys in the room, and we need a restrictive phrase to limit the scope of who or what we’re talking
about.
If yes, the phrase is essential and SHOULD NOT be set off by commas. If no, the phrase is not essential
and SHOULD be set off by commas. Take, for instance, the following two examples:
3. Wrong: Students, who work hard, will ace the SATs.
Correct: Students who work hard will ace the SATs.
4. Wrong: Jonathan who works hard will ace the SATs.
Correct: Jonathan, who works hard, will ace the SATs.
5. Wrong: Stephen King’s first novel Carrie was a surprise success.
Correct: Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie, was a surprise success.
6. Wrong: The poem, The Road Not Taken, is one of Robert Frost’s most famous works.
Correct: The poem The Road Not Taken is one of Robert Frost’s most famous works.
7. Wrong: Crowds stood in line to see author, J.K. Rowling, at the bookstore in London.
Correct: Crowds stood in line to see author J.K. Rowling at the bookstore in London.
8. Wrong: The man at the front of the line scientist, John Willard, wouldn’t stop complaining about the rain.
Correct: The man at the front of the line, scientist John Willard, wouldn’t stop complaining about the rain.
Moving on, when the word that is used, it’s always for restrictive/essential elements (commas are
unnecessary) whereas which is usually used for nonrestrictive/nonessential elements (commas are
necessary).
9. Wrong: Runners around the world participate in the Boston Marathon which is 26 miles long.
Correct: Runners around the world participate in the Boston Marathon, which is 26 miles long.
10. Wrong: The path, that we took yesterday, is 15 miles long.
Correct: The path that we took yesterday is 15 miles long.