Difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses

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otrosaam
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Difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses

Post by otrosaam »

Hello! I just saw a video, but I got confused. The video said these sentences:

"The picture *which hangs on the wall* is old." (defining)
"The building, *which is very old*, needs repairing." (non-defining)

I don't see the difference. For example, if I just say:
"The picture is old", is the same than "The building needs repairing."
I don't know which is the picture we're talking about, the same with the building. Can someone explain me what is the difference? What is the reason that makes me understand "The building needs repairing" as a complete sentence that is giving extra details telling me that "it's very old", compared with "The picture is old", which is incomplete and needs more information like "hangs on the wall" to understand it?
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Alan
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Re: Difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses

Post by Alan »

A defining relative clause (never with commas) is needed to distinguish one referent from another, e.g. here the painting on the wall as opposed to (e.g.) the painting in the box.

A non-defining relative clause (always with commas), on the other hand, is used simply to provide incidental, additional information about the referent (here, similar to saying "and, by the way, it's very old").

I trust that makes it a little clearer!
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