Providing Additional Information

Definition

Providing additional information refers to the grammatical function of expanding or clarifying a sentence by adding details about a noun. This often occurs through the use of relative clauses, which are introduced by relative pronouns, enriching the context and meaning of the main clause.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Relative clauses can be defining or non-defining; defining clauses provide essential information, while non-defining clauses add extra details without changing the core meaning.
2. The choice of relative pronoun can affect the clarity of the sentence; for example, 'who' is used for people, while 'which' is used for objects or animals.
3. In written English, non-defining relative clauses are often set off by commas to indicate they add supplementary information.
4. Relative clauses can sometimes be reduced to shorter forms, such as using just the verb for the clause instead of repeating the subject and verb.
5. Mastering relative clauses is essential for writing complex sentences that convey detailed meanings without confusion.

Review Questions

• How do relative clauses enhance the meaning of sentences when providing additional information?
  • Relative clauses enhance the meaning of sentences by adding important details about a noun or pronoun. By using relative pronouns like 'who' or 'which,' these clauses give readers more context, allowing them to understand the relationships between different elements in the sentence. This added information can clarify identities, characteristics, or conditions related to the noun, making communication more effective.
• Compare and contrast defining and non-defining relative clauses in terms of their function in providing additional information.
  • Defining relative clauses provide essential information that identifies the noun they modify, making it crucial for understanding the sentence. For example, in 'The book that you lent me is fascinating,' the clause 'that you lent me' specifies which book is being discussed. In contrast, non-defining relative clauses offer extra details that are not essential to identify the noun, as seen in 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.' The clause here adds information but is not needed to understand who is being referred to.
• Evaluate the impact of using relative pronouns on sentence clarity and coherence when providing additional information.
  • Using appropriate relative pronouns significantly impacts sentence clarity and coherence when providing additional information. For instance, choosing 'who' instead of 'that' when referring to people helps maintain precision and avoids ambiguity. When sentences are well-structured with correct relative clauses, they flow better and convey complex ideas clearly. A well-placed relative clause can create logical connections between ideas, enhancing both readability and understanding for the audience.

Related terms

Relative Clause: A dependent clause that modifies a noun or pronoun and begins with a relative pronoun such as 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.'

Relative Pronoun: Words like 'who,' 'whom,' 'whose,' 'which,' and 'that' used to introduce relative clauses and connect them to nouns.

Noun Phrase: A group of words that functions in a sentence as a subject, object, or prepositional object, typically consisting of a noun and its modifiers.