Essential and Nonessential Clauses English Bellwork

Monday, April 1 Directions: Write out the two sentences and answer the question. 1. The Viking, which photographed Mars in 1976, showed a huge volcano. 2. The scientists who analyze photographic data could study Viking photographs of Mars for years. 3. One of these sentences has commas around the clause, and one does not. Explain why that might happen.

Info: Adjective clauses may be either essential or nonessential. Essential clauses are necessary to make the meaning of a sentence clear. A clause beginning with that is essential. Nonessential clauses add interesting information but are not necessary for the meaning of a sentence. A clause beginning with which is usually not essential. Use commas to set off nonessential clauses from the rest of the sentence.

Tuesday, April 2 Directions: Write out the sentences and insert commas to the clauses where they are needed. 1. Apollo 8 which did not land orbited the moon and sent back pictures of the surface. 2. Apollo 11 developed as the mission that was to land an American on the moon. 3. The astronauts who held Americans’ interest in 1969 were Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. 1. commas, 2 and 3 no commas (essential clauses do not need commas)

Wednesday, April 3 1. The explorers whom I most admire are astronauts. Directions: Write out the sentences, underlining the clauses, and inserting in commas where needed. 1. The explorers whom I most admire are astronauts. 2. One man who made space travel possible was Robert Goddard. 3. Goddard who tested many rockets helped develop liquid fuel. 1. The explorers whom I most admire are astronauts. 2. One man who made space travel possible was Robert Goddard. 3. Goddard, who tested many rockets, helped develop liquid fuel.

Thursday, April 4 Directions: Write out ONE of the sample sentences with a nonessential clause, inserting commas where needed. Then, using it as a guide, write your OWN sentence with a nonessential clause! 1. The Soviet Union was the first nation with a space satellite which they called Sputnik. 2. The United States whose first satellite was called Explorer I followed the Soviet Union four months later. 3. Yuri Gagarin who was the Soviet Union’s first astronaut orbited Earth once. 1. The Soviet Union was the first nation with a space satellite, which they called Sputnik. 2. The United States, whose first satellite was called Explorer I, followed the Soviet Union four months later. 3. Yuri Gagarin, who was the Soviet Union’s first astronaut, orbited Earth once.

Friday, April 5 Directions: Review the sample sentences, noting which ones have essential and nonessential clauses, Then, write TWO of your own sentences with an essential and nonessential clause! 1. Alan Shepard became the American astronaut who first traveled into space. 2. One event that really captured American’s attention was the space walk of Edward White. 3. White, who had so much fun on the walk, was finally ordered back into the spacecraft by Mission Control.