Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
HPAC 136
503-5883
(independent)
Punctuation:
Use a comma after an opening dependent clause. If the dependent clause follows the
independent clause in the sentence, the comma is necessary only when the information is
essential to the meaning of the sentence:
Avoid approaching mastiffs unless they are familiar with your scent. (No comma needed;
dependent clause essential to meaning of the sentence.)
The tornado seemed to last thirty minutes, even though it passed over in three. (Comma used
because dependent clause not essential to meaning of the sentence.)
Another type of dependent clause is an adjective clause. Adjective clauses (also called
relative clauses) begin with pronouns or adverbs and modify the preceding noun.
Relative Pronouns
who, which, that
Relative Adverbs
when, where
The dress that Mary bought for the prom is too frilly. [The adjective clause describes the noun
dress.]
The evening when Mary can wear her prom dress is getting closer. [The adjective clause
modifies the noun evening.]
Punctuation:
Use commas around a relative clause only if the information in the clause is not needed for the
main idea of the sentence to be understood (also called non-restrictive or non-essential
clauses). Note that the meaning of the two following sentences is slightly altered by the comma.
Our house, which is fifty years old, needs major repairs.
Our house which is fifty years old needs major repairs.