Verona_82
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2010
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- Russian
- Home Country
- Russian Federation
- Current Location
- Ukraine
Hello,
A teacher told me today that the senteces below were non-defining ones, therefore the relative clauses should be separated by commas. I disagreed with him. I took the first sentence from one of Murphy's grammars, and made the second one myself.
Jack is wearing a hat that/which is too big for him.
Yesterday I met a friend that/who I see very seldom.
Considering the difference between defining and non-defining clauses can be very subtle sometimes and it may reflect the speaker's point of view, I arrived at the conclusion that both are possible, yet I can't say I'm sure. What do you think? I'm beginning to lose my ability to think clearly.
Thank you!
A teacher told me today that the senteces below were non-defining ones, therefore the relative clauses should be separated by commas. I disagreed with him. I took the first sentence from one of Murphy's grammars, and made the second one myself.
Jack is wearing a hat that/which is too big for him.
Yesterday I met a friend that/who I see very seldom.
Considering the difference between defining and non-defining clauses can be very subtle sometimes and it may reflect the speaker's point of view, I arrived at the conclusion that both are possible, yet I can't say I'm sure. What do you think? I'm beginning to lose my ability to think clearly.
Thank you!