[Grammar] comma with 'who'

[minek]

Lucy was a business woman who lived in New York.
James grew up to be a strong boy who later helped his father.
This book is dedicated to Lancar and his wife who are great friends of mine.
Don loves his girlfriend who lives in the same town as him.

Hello, I am confused about when to use a comma with 'who'. Can you please put the comma in the right place in the sentences above so I can learn where to put it in the future. Thank you so, so much!!!!!

 

[emsr2d2]

If you had to answer these questions in a test, where would you put commas?

 

[Matthew Wai]

http://grammar-monster.com/glossary/restrictive_clause.htm
http://grammar-monster.com/glossary/non-restrictive_clauses.htm
The above explanations about restrictive and non-restrictive clauses may be helpful to the OP.
I am surprised that the OP as a native speaker is also confused.

Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

http://grammar-monster.com/glossary/restrictive_clause.htm
http://grammar-monster.com/glossary/non-restrictive_clauses.htm
The above explanations about restrictive and non-restrictive clauses may be helpful to the OP.
I am surprised that the OP as a native speaker is also confused.

Not a teacher.

Matthew Wai, never be surprised when native speakers (in the UK at least) have no knowledge of grammar or punctuation. Very few people study it at school and most people go through life quite happily without ever needing to know anything about (or even the name of) restrictive and non-restrictive clauses.

 

[Rover_KE]

In future, Matthew, please don't offer help to a poster who has been asked to attempt to answer the question for themselves.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think the OP still has to answer by themselves even if reference sites are suggested. Am I wrong?
Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

That's true but those links you provided might well have simply given away the answer. We expect learners to do their own research, find their own material and give it a try first. Only after that do we generally start helping in that way.

 

[minek]

I did have an idea of where to put the commas in the sentences before posting, but I was just too unsure. This is where I believe they should go:

Lucy was a business woman, who lived in New York.
James grew up to be a strong boy, who later helped his father.
This book is dedicated to Lancar and his wife, who are great friends of mine.
Don loves his girlfriend, who lives in the same town as him.

Have I placed them correctly? Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[minek]

Thank you for the links.

 

[minek]

Matthew Wai, never be surprised when native speakers (in the UK at least) have no knowledge of grammar or punctuation. Very few people study it at school and most people go through life quite happily without ever needing to know anything about (or even the name of) restrictive and non-restrictive clauses.

This is true. I am living proof.

 

[Tarheel]

I did have an idea of where to put the commas in the sentences before posting, but I was just too unsure. This is where I believe they should go:

Lucy was a business woman, who lived in New York.:cross:
James grew up to be a strong boy, who later helped his father. :tick:
This book is dedicated to Lancar and his wife, who are great friends of mine. :tick:
Don loves his girlfriend, who lives in the same town as him.:tick:

Three out of four is not bad. ;-) As for the first sentence, a businesswoman who lived in New York is a noun phrase, and it describes Lucy. (That is as much as I should say right now.) (It could be that I need a nap. ;-))

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Lucy, who lived in New York, was a business woman.'
Is it correct to use the commas here?
Not a teacher.

Thank you for the links.

minek, clicking on the 'Thank' button can obviate the need for a new post saying 'Thank you', such is one of the many unwritten rules on this forum.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, those commas are fine.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Lucy was a business woman, who lived in New York.:cross:

If it was 'the business woman who lived in New York', it should be a restrictive clause identifying the business woman. But as it is 'a business woman', why shouldn't the clause be additional information, i.e. non-restrictive?

Not a teacher.

 

[minek]

Three out of four is not bad. ;-) As for the first sentence, a businesswoman who lived in New York is a noun phrase, and it describes Lucy. (That is as much as I should say right now.) (It could be that I need a nap. ;-))

Ok, I guess the first sentence doesn't sound right with a comma. This is actually why I was getting confused. I was looking at the sentences like this:
a business woman who lived in New York
a strong boy who later helped his father
his wife who are great friends of mine

I wasn't sure if I should attach the name, if that makes any sense.
Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Tarheel]

Ok, I guess the first sentence doesn't sound right with a comma. This is actually why I was getting confused. I was looking at the sentences like this:
a business woman who lived in New York (a noun phrase)
a strong boy who later helped his father (that seems kind of weird, but yes, a noun phrase)
his wife who are great friends of mine (that doesn't make sense unless there is more to it, and it seems that there should be)

I wasn't sure if I should attach the name, if that makes any sense.
Thanks for clarifying.

You're welcome. I'm going to take a nap now. ;-) (Not really.)