1. Write an example of an essential clause that uses the pronoun "that" correctly.

Question

2. What is the difference between an essential and nonessential clause?

Answer 1

1. Example of an essential clause: "The book that I borrowed from the library is due tomorrow."

In this sentence, the essential clause "that I borrowed from the library" provides crucial information necessary to identify which book is being referred to.

2. The difference between an essential and nonessential clause lies in the information they convey:

• Essential Clause (Restrictive Clause): This type of clause provides information that is critical to understanding the sentence's meaning. Omitting it would change the sentence's intent or make it unclear. Essential clauses typically do not require commas. For example: "The cookies that contain nuts are on the top shelf." (Without the clause, we wouldn't know which cookies are being referenced.)

• Nonessential Clause (Nonrestrictive Clause): This clause adds extra information that can be removed without changing the fundamental meaning of the sentence. It is usually set off by commas. For example: "The cookies, which contain nuts, are on the top shelf." (Here, the phrase "which contain nuts" adds additional information but is not necessary to understand which cookies are on the shelf.)