🎨 Non-Defining Relative Clauses

Adding Extra Information & Interesting Details

B1 Level | Lesson 23 | 50 minutes

🔥 The Magic of Commas!

❓ Look at these two sentences. What's the difference?

📍 Defining (NO commas)

"My brother who lives in Paris is a chef."

Meaning: I have multiple brothers. The one in Paris is a chef.

🎨 Non-Defining (WITH commas)

"My brother, who lives in Paris, is a chef."

Meaning: I have one brother. Oh, and by the way, he lives in Paris.

🎭
TWO COMMAS change everything! Non-defining clauses add BONUS information that could be removed from the sentence.

🔍 The Comma Test

If you can remove the part between commas and the sentence still makes sense, it's non-defining!

Original: "My brother, who lives in Paris, is a chef."

Remove it: "My brother is a chef." ✅ Still makes sense!

🌟 When Do We Use Non-Defining Clauses?

  • With proper names: "Steve Jobs, who founded Apple, died in 2011." (There's only one Steve Jobs!)
  • With unique things: "The Eiffel Tower, which is in Paris, was built in 1889."
  • When there's only one: "My mother, who is a doctor, lives in London." (You only have one mother!)

🤔 Discuss: Do you have siblings? How would you describe them to someone - with or without commas?

📚 The Three Golden Rules

Rule #1

ALWAYS use TWO commas (one before, one after)

✅ "My car, which is 10 years old, still runs well."

❌ "My car which is 10 years old, still runs well." (Missing first comma!)

❌ "My car, which is 10 years old still runs well." (Missing second comma!)

Rule #2

NEVER use "that" in non-defining clauses

✅ "London, which is the capital, is expensive."

❌ "London, that is the capital, is expensive."

Use: who (people), which (things), where (places)

Rule #3

The information is EXTRA - not essential

You can remove it and the sentence still works!

"Barack Obama, who was US President, lives in Washington."

→ Remove it: "Barack Obama lives in Washington." ✅

Type Defining (NO commas) Non-Defining (WITH commas)
People The teacher who taught me is here. Mr. Smith, who taught me, is here.
Things The book that I bought was good. This book, which I bought yesterday, is good.
Places The café where I work is small. Paris, where I lived, is beautiful.

🗣️ Quick Practice: Add commas where needed: "My phone which I bought last year is broken."

🗣️ 5 Essential Patterns

👆 Click each card to reveal details and practice!

1. "[Name], who... , ..." - Adding Info About Named People
Formality: Neutral to Formal
When you mention someone's name, add extra information about them. Very common in biographies and news.
🔹 "Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison, became South Africa's first black president."
🔹 "My sister, who is a lawyer, lives in New York."
NOW YOU TRY: Describe a family member or friend: "[Name], who [extra info], [main point]."
2. "[Place], which... , ..." - Famous Places & Cities
Formality: Neutral to Formal
Add extra information about unique or well-known places. Perfect for travel stories and geography!
🔹 "Tokyo, which is the capital of Japan, is very modern."
🔹 "The Grand Canyon, which I visited last year, was breathtaking."
NOW YOU TRY: Think of a city or country you know. Add extra information: "[Place], which [fact], [opinion]."
3. "My [family member], who... , ..." - Family Descriptions
Formality: Neutral
Use when describing unique family members (mother, father, husband, wife). You only have one, so the information is extra!
🔹 "My mother, who is 65, still works full-time."
🔹 "My husband, who loves cooking, makes dinner every night."
NOW YOU TRY: Describe a family member: "My [mother/father/etc.], who [extra detail], [main point]."
4. "This/That [thing], which... , ..." - Objects & Possessions
Formality: Neutral
When talking about a specific thing that's already identified, add extra interesting information.
🔹 "This watch, which was my grandfather's, is very valuable."
🔹 "That building, which is 200 years old, is a museum now."
NOW YOU TRY: Think of something special you own: "This [thing], which [story/detail], [is important/special to me]."
5. "..., which is why..." - Giving Reasons
Formality: Neutral
Add a clause to explain the reason for something. Very useful in storytelling and explanations!
🔹 "I missed my alarm, which is why I was late."
🔹 "The weather was terrible, which is why we cancelled the trip."
🔹 "She studied very hard, which is why she passed."
NOW YOU TRY: Explain something that happened: "I [did something], which is why [result]."

🎯 Biography Practice

📖 Activity 1: Famous People Biographies

Read these mini-biographies. Notice how non-defining clauses add interesting details!

👩‍🚀
Marie Curie
Marie Curie, who was born in Poland in 1867, was a pioneering scientist. She, who discovered radium and polonium, won two Nobel Prizes. Her husband, who was also a scientist, worked with her. She died in 1934, which was caused by radiation exposure.
🎨
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh, who is now one of the most famous artists, only sold one painting during his lifetime. He lived in France, where he created most of his masterpieces, for several years. His most famous work, which is "Starry Night", was painted in 1889.

✅ Activity 2: Comma or No Comma?

Click each sentence to see if it needs commas!

My sister who lives in Tokyo is a teacher.
🤔 It depends!
- If you have multiple sisters: NO commas (defining - which sister?)
- If you have one sister: YES commas (non-defining - extra info)
London which is the capital of England is very expensive.
✅ YES, needs commas!
"London, which is the capital of England, is very expensive."
There's only one London!
The book that I'm reading is about history.
✅ NO commas needed!
This is defining - it tells us WHICH book.
(Also note: "that" can't be used in non-defining clauses!)

🎲 Celebrity Fact Generator

Click to get a celebrity fact to report!

👨‍👩‍👧 Activity 3: Family Tree

Practice describing family members with non-defining clauses!

Example: "My grandmother, who is 85 years old, still lives independently."
Your turn! Describe your mother/father using a non-defining clause.
Your turn! If you have one sibling, describe them with commas. If you have multiple siblings, describe one specific sibling without commas!

🎭 Role-Play: Tell Me More!

🎬 Choose Your Scenario

Select a role-play and practice adding interesting details with non-defining clauses!

👨‍👩‍👧
Family Introduction
Tell your teacher about your family members. Add interesting details about each person!
🌍
Travel Stories
Describe places you've visited. Add extra information about each destination.
⭐
Celebrity Biography
Tell the story of a famous person's life using non-defining clauses.
🏠
Hometown Description
Describe your hometown/city. Add interesting facts and personal memories.
💼
Career Story
Talk about your job or career path. Add background information and context.
🎁
Special Possessions
Describe meaningful objects you own. Explain their stories and significance.

🎯 Useful Sentence Starters

  • "My [person], who [extra info], [main point]"
  • "[City/Country], which [fact], [opinion]"
  • "This [object], which [story], is special to me"
  • "I [did something], which is why [result]"

⏱️ Timed Speaking Challenge

🏆 Choose Your Challenge

Select a challenge, set the timer, and speak using non-defining clauses!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 My Family Biography
Describe each member of your family. Add at least one interesting detail about each person using non-defining clauses with commas.
🗺️ Places I've Been
Talk about 5 places you've visited or want to visit. Add extra information about each place using "which" with commas.
⭐ Heroes & Inspirations
Talk about 3-5 people who inspire you (famous or personal). Use non-defining clauses to add biographical details.
📜 My Life Story
Tell your life story in 3-5 minutes. Use "which is why" to connect events and explain outcomes.
3:00

💪 Goal: Use at least 8 non-defining clauses (remember the commas!) during your speaking time!

✨ Lesson Review

🎉
You can now add rich, interesting details to any story!

📝 What You Learned Today

✓
Two Commas: Always use commas before AND after the clause
✓
Extra Information: Can be removed without breaking the sentence
✓
No "that": Use who/which/where, NEVER "that" in non-defining clauses
✓
Common Uses: Proper names, unique things, single family members
✓
"which is why": Perfect for explaining reasons and results

🏠 Homework Challenge

  • Write a short biography of a family member (5-8 sentences) using at least 3 non-defining clauses
  • Describe 3 places (cities/countries) you know, each with one non-defining clause
  • Write about why something happened in your life using "which is why" (3 examples)
  • Find a biography online and underline all the non-defining clauses (notice the commas!)

🌟 Remember: Commas = Extra information. No commas = Essential information. Master this and your English sounds sophisticated!

👀 Next Lesson Preview: Environment & Sustainability (B1 Topic)

In Lesson 24, you'll discuss:

  • Environmental problems and solutions
  • Climate change and its effects
  • Personal actions for a greener lifestyle
  • Sustainability debates and discussions

This lesson uses all the grammar you've learned (B1) in real-world conversations!