परिभाषित बनाम गैर-परिभाषित सापेक्ष उपवाक्य (अल्पविराम और अर्थ)
secret weapon हैं, जो रिलेटिव क्लॉज़ को crystal clear बनाने में मदद करते हैं।
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Defining clauses identify exactly which person or thing you mean; non-defining clauses just add extra, optional 'bonus' information using commas.
- Defining clauses have no commas and are essential for the sentence to make sense: 'The man who called left a message.'
- Non-defining clauses require commas and provide extra details: 'My father, who is 70, still runs marathons.'
- Never use the word 'that' in a non-defining clause; always use 'who' or 'which' instead.
Overview
- 1Defining Relative Clauses: ये वाक्य के लिए अनिवार्य (essential) जानकारी देते हैं। इनका मुख्य काम संज्ञा की पहचान करना है। अगर आप इन्हें हटा देंगे, तो वाक्य का अर्थ अधूरा या अस्पष्ट हो जाएगा। हिंदी में इसे 'निश्चित करने वाला उपवाक्य' कह सकते हैं। उदाहरण के लिए: 'The car that is parked outside is mine.' यहाँ 'that is parked outside' यह बता रहा है कि हम किस कार की बात कर रहे हैं। यदि हम इसे हटा दें, तो 'The car is mine' बहुत सामान्य हो जाता है।
- 1Non-Defining Relative Clauses: ये केवल अतिरिक्त (extra) जानकारी देते हैं। अगर आप इन्हें हटा भी दें, तो वाक्य का मुख्य अर्थ पूरी तरह स्पष्ट रहता है। इन्हें हमेशा 'commas' के बीच रखा जाता है। हिंदी में इसे 'अतिरिक्त जानकारी देने वाला उपवाक्य' समझें। उदाहरण: 'My brother, who lives in Delhi, is a doctor.' यहाँ 'who lives in Delhi' बस एक जानकारी है। अगर हम सिर्फ 'My brother is a doctor' कहें, तो भी बात स्पष्ट है।
who, which, that, whose) का सही चुनाव करना होता है।who, which, that | Possible if object | The book that I read is good. |who, which (No that) | Not possible | My book, which I read, is good. |- Defining:
The student who works hard succeeds.(यहाँ 'who works hard' अनिवार्य है) - Non-Defining:
Rahul, who works hard, is successful.(यहाँ 'who works hard' केवल एक अतिरिक्त विवरण है)
- 1The 'That' Trap: हिंदी भाषी अक्सर 'non-defining' clauses में भी 'that' का उपयोग करते हैं। याद रखें, 'that' का उपयोग केवल 'defining' clauses में होता है। 'My friend, that lives in Delhi, is coming' गलत है, 'My friend, who lives in Delhi, is coming' सही है।
- 1Missing Commas: हिंदी में हम अल्पविराम (comma) का उपयोग बहुत लचीले ढंग से करते हैं, लेकिन अंग्रेजी में non-defining clause में comma न लगाना एक गंभीर गलती है। यह वाक्य के अर्थ को 'essential' बना देता है, जो शायद आपका इरादा न हो।
- 1L1 Interference (Omission): हिंदी में हम अक्सर 'जो' का लोप कर देते हैं या वाक्य संरचना बदल देते हैं। अंग्रेजी में, non-defining clause में pronoun (
who/which) को कभी नहीं हटाना चाहिए।
Relative Pronoun Usage by Clause Type
| Pronoun | Used for... | Defining? | Non-Defining? | Can be omitted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Who
|
People
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes (if object)
|
|
Which
|
Things/Animals
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes (if object)
|
|
That
|
People/Things
|
Yes
|
NO
|
Yes (if object)
|
|
Whose
|
Possession
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Whom
|
People (Object)
|
Yes (Formal)
|
Yes (Formal)
|
Yes
|
Meanings
Relative clauses provide more information about a noun. Defining clauses limit or 'define' the noun they follow, while non-defining clauses provide parenthetical information about a noun that is already clearly identified.
Identifying Senses
Used to specify exactly which member of a group we are talking about. Without this clause, the listener wouldn't know who or what is being discussed.
“The students who studied hard passed the exam.”
“I'm looking for the keys that I left on the table.”
Adding Extra Information
Used to give more detail about a noun that is already specific (like a proper name or a unique object). The sentence would still be clear without this information.
“London, which is the capital of the UK, is very expensive.”
“My brother, who lives in New York, is a chef.”
Sentential Relative Clauses
A specific type of non-defining clause using 'which' to comment on the entire preceding sentence or idea.
“He arrived late, which annoyed everyone.”
“She passed her driving test, which was a huge relief.”
Reference Table
| विशेषता | डिफाइनिंग रिलेटिव क्लॉज़ | नॉन-डिफाइनिंग रिलेटिव क्लॉज़ | उदाहरण |
|---|---|---|---|
|
कॉमा
|
कोई कॉमा नहीं (ज़रूरी जानकारी)
|
कॉमा (अतिरिक्त जानकारी)
|
The student who passed the exam. vs. My sister, who passed the exam.
|
|
रिलेटिव प्रोनाउन
|
`who`, `which`, `that`
|
`who`, `which` (कभी नहीं `that`)
|
The car that broke down. vs. My old car, which broke down.
|
|
प्रोनाउन छोड़ना
|
अक्सर संभव (अगर ऑब्जेक्ट हो)
|
कभी संभव नहीं
|
The film [that] I watched. vs. 'Titanic', which I watched.
|
|
जानकारी का प्रकार
|
नाउन को पहचानने के लिए ज़रूरी
|
अतिरिक्त, गैर-ज़रूरी जानकारी
|
People who exercise are healthy. vs. My gym coach, who exercises daily, is healthy.
|
|
वाक्य का अर्थ
|
क्लॉज़ के बिना बदल जाता है
|
क्लॉज़ के बिना वही रहता है
|
The dog barked. vs. My dog, who barks a lot, is cute.
|
|
नाउन का प्रकार
|
सामान्य या संदर्भ से विशिष्ट
|
पहले से ही विशिष्ट (प्रॉपर नाउन, my, this)
|
A book that teaches grammar. vs. 'English Grammar in Use', which teaches grammar.
|
औपचारिकता का स्तर
The colleague to whom I spoke yesterday confirmed the meeting. (Workplace communication)
The colleague who I spoke to yesterday confirmed the meeting. (Workplace communication)
The guy I talked to yesterday said the meeting is on. (Workplace communication)
The dude I was chatting with yesterday says we're good for the meeting. (Workplace communication)
रिलेटिव क्लॉज़: डिफाइनिंग बनाम नॉन-डिफाइनिंग
डिफाइनिंग
- कोई कॉमा नहीं ज़रूरी जानकारी
- Who/Which/That प्रोनाउन
- छोड़ा जा सकता है अगर प्रोनाउन ऑब्जेक्ट है
नॉन-डिफाइनिंग
- कॉमा अतिरिक्त जानकारी
- Who/Which केवल कभी नहीं 'That'
- छोड़ा नहीं जा सकता प्रोनाउन हमेशा चाहिए
कॉमा की शक्ति: अर्थ बदलना
रिलेटिव क्लॉज़ कॉमा डिसाइडर
क्या क्लॉज़ में दी गई जानकारी नाउन को पहचानने के लिए ज़रूरी है?
प्रोनाउन और विराम चिह्न मिलान
डिफाइनिंग क्लॉज़
- • कोई कॉमा नहीं
- • लोगों के लिए 'who'
- • चीज़ों के लिए 'which'
- • दोनों के लिए 'that'
- • प्रोनाउन को छोड़ा जा सकता है (अगर ऑब्जेक्ट हो)
नॉन-डिफाइनिंग क्लॉज़
- • हमेशा कॉमा का उपयोग करें
- • लोगों के लिए 'who'
- • चीज़ों के लिए 'which'
- • कभी नहीं 'that'
- • प्रोनाउन को छोड़ा नहीं जा सकता
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
The boy who is happy is my friend.
I have a dog which is big.
This is the cake that I like.
The man who lives there is old.
The hotel where we stayed was cheap.
Is that the girl who you met yesterday?
The book that you gave me is great.
I don't like people who are rude.
My sister, who is a nurse, works very hard.
Paris, which is in France, is beautiful.
The car that I bought last week has broken down.
He's the man whose car was stolen.
The report, which took me three days to write, is finally finished.
The candidates who have experience will be interviewed first.
She forgot her keys, which meant she had to wait outside.
The company for which he works is based in Tokyo.
The committee, none of whom agreed with the proposal, adjourned early.
The building, the roof of which was damaged in the storm, is being repaired.
It was a decision the consequences of which were not yet clear.
He was a man for whom honor meant everything.
The research, the findings of which have been widely disputed, remains influential.
She made a series of errors, the most egregious of which was the loss of the client's data.
The city, whose history is as rich as it is bloody, attracts millions of tourists.
He spoke with a slight accent, which I couldn't quite place.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
Learners often use them interchangeably, but 'that' cannot follow a comma.
Learners struggle with subject vs. object pronouns.
सामान्य गलतियाँ
The man which lives here.
The man who lives here.
The book what I read.
The book that I read.
My mother, that is a doctor, is 50.
My mother, who is a doctor, is 50.
The company, who is based in London, is growing.
The company, which is based in London, is growing.
वाक्य संरचनाएँ
The ___ who/that ___ is ___.
[Name], who ___, is ___.
Real World Usage
I am a marketing professional who specializes in SEO.
The Prime Minister, who visited Paris yesterday, signed a new treaty.
Did you see the photo I posted?
The Tenant, who shall be referred to as 'The Occupant', agrees to...
The museum, which houses the world's largest collection of coins, is open daily.
Select the items that you want to add to your cart.
The 'Remove It' Test
That and Commas Are Foes
Listen to the Pause
Formal vs. Informal Nuance
While the comma rules are rigid, in very informal spoken English, you might hear that used occasionally in place of which in non-defining clauses. However, this is considered grammatically incorrect in writing and formal speech, so stick to the rules for polished communication!
Proper Nouns Love Commas
Smart Tips
Automatically reach for the commas. Names are already specific, so any relative clause following them is almost certainly non-defining.
Omit the relative pronoun in defining clauses if it's the object. It sounds much less 'textbook'.
Use 'which' for defining clauses instead of 'that' to sound more academic and sophisticated.
Use a sentential 'which' at the end of your sentence. It's a great way to show your opinion.
उच्चारण
The Comma Pause
In non-defining clauses, there is a slight drop in pitch and a brief pause before and after the clause.
Parenthetical Dip
My car, ↘ which is blue, ↗ is outside.
The lower pitch indicates the information is secondary/extra.
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
D-N-C: Defining = No Commas. N-D-C: Non-Defining = Do Commas.
दृश्य संबंध
Imagine the commas in a non-defining clause are like a pair of scissors. You can use them to 'cut out' the extra information, and the sentence will still stand perfectly fine on its own.
Rhyme
If the info is just a 'plus', use a comma without a fuss. If it tells us 'which is who', then no commas are for you.
Story
Think of a detective. A detective needs 'Defining' information to catch a specific thief ('The thief who has a scar'). A gossip columnist gives 'Non-defining' information ('The thief, who has a scar, was seen at the mall'). The detective needs the info to identify; the columnist just wants to add details.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Look at three objects in your room. Write one sentence for each using a defining clause to identify it, and one sentence using a non-defining clause to add a fun fact about it.
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
In US English, there is a very strong preference for using 'that' for defining clauses and 'which' exclusively for non-defining clauses. Using 'which' in a defining clause often sounds overly formal or British to Americans.
In formal academic contexts, 'whom' is still strictly required after prepositions, and non-defining clauses are used extensively to provide citations and background context.
Relative pronouns in English evolved from interrogative pronouns (who/which) and demonstrative pronouns (that).
बातचीत की शुरुआत
Tell me about a friend who has an interesting job.
What is a city you've visited that you'll never forget?
डायरी विषय
सामान्य गलतियाँ
Test Yourself
The book ___ I finished yesterday was a real page-turner.
Find and fix the mistake:
My brother, that lives in Paris, is a chef.
Choose the correct sentence:
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
अभ्यास प्रश्न
8 exercisesWhich sentence is punctuated correctly?
The laptop ___ I bought yesterday is already broken.
Find and fix the mistake:
The painting, that was stolen last week, has been found.
My father is 70. He still plays tennis every day.
You can omit the relative pronoun in a non-defining clause if it is the object.
The car *that has the flat tire* is mine.
1. The students who were late failed. | 2. The students, who were late, failed.
A: Which coat is yours? B: It's the one ___.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe restaurant ___ we had dinner last night was fantastic.
My neighbor, who is a doctor that works at the hospital, is very kind.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'El perro, que tiene manchas, es muy amigable.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the relative clause type with its punctuation:
My new smartphone, ___ has a fantastic camera, was quite expensive.
Students, who don't study, often fail exams.
Translate into English: 'Busco el libro que me recomendaste.'
Choose the correct sentence:
The decision ___ they made affected everyone.
Score: /11
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (8)
Yes, you can. However, in American English, 'that' is much more common. In British English, 'which' is used more frequently in defining clauses, but 'that' is still very common.
This is a formal rule of English grammar. 'That' is considered a restrictive pronoun, meaning its job is to limit or define. Non-defining clauses don't limit; they just add, so 'who' or 'which' are required.
You can only leave them out in *defining* clauses when the pronoun is the *object* of the verb. For example: 'The book [that] I bought.' You can never leave them out in non-defining clauses.
Yes, but mostly in very formal writing or after prepositions (e.g., 'The person to whom I was speaking'). In casual speech, most people just use 'who' or leave it out.
Only if the clause is in the middle of the sentence. If the clause ends the sentence, you only need the opening comma (e.g., 'I live in London, which is huge.').
It's a clause starting with `, which` that describes the whole previous sentence. Example: 'He lied to me, which really hurt my feelings.'
Yes! 'Whose' is the possessive form for both people and things. Example: 'The car whose alarm is going off is mine.'
Yes. You can have defining clauses ('The day when we met') and non-defining clauses ('In 2020, when the pandemic started, ...').
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Oraciones de relativo (especificativas vs. explicativas)
English has a stricter 'no that after commas' rule.
Relativsätze
German requires commas for defining clauses; English forbids them.
連体修飾節 (Rentai shuushikusetsu)
Japanese has no relative pronouns and no comma distinction.
Propositions relatives
French doesn't have a 'that' equivalent that is restricted to defining clauses.
الصلة (Al-Sila)
Arabic relative structure depends on the definiteness of the noun.
的 (de) structure
Chinese relative clauses come before the noun.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
संबंधित वीडियो
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