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		Grammar and Linguistics > Defining/non defining clauses... :-s     
			
		 Defining/non defining clauses... :-s 
		
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 Isabelucha
 
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							| Defining/non defining clauses... :-s 
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							| Should we use or not the commas... in the following sentence: "Kate, who has a brace on her teeth, didn �t like being photographed when she was twelve years old."
Thanx in advance.  |  20 May 2009      
					
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 source
 
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							| we should use because it is non -defining , kate :) |  20 May 2009     
					
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 Ivona
 
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							| Once you are able to remove "who has a brace on her teeth" and the sentence still has a meaning, then you SHOULD put the commas. It �s a non-defining one. That �s what i used to do ...  
        
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 macomabi
 
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							| It is a non-defining relative clause, so you should use commas. Best regards
 
 |  20 May 2009     
					
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 Zora
 
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							| It �s non-defining, so technically it needs the commas... also, people should keep in mind that in English our sentences tend to be shorter than is some languages. And therefore need that much overlooked punctuation. 
 I know that this might be off topic but I find that my students, who are Spanish, tend to write very loooong sentences with one or two commas. Why? Because in Spanish these types of sentence constructions are very common. I have seen sentences that are three or more lines long!!!!
 
 |  20 May 2009     
					
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 sirah
 
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							| Yes I agree,It �s a non- defining so you should use commas. 
 hugs
 
  
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 alex1968
 
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							| Hi   If there is only ONE Kate, then you can use the commas because everyone will still know who you �re talking about. (non-defining)   If there are 2 or 3 Kates in your class, for example. and you want to show which one of the 2/3 then you wouldn �t add commas (defining clause)   I agree with Ivona...commas mean that you can remove the part between the commas and the meaning of the sentence will still be the same     |  20 May 2009     
					
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 MissMelissa12
 
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							| What Zora says it is true. When I was taking a course  in THE uNIted States, my teacher used to tell me that and she said it was because of Spanish. I felt so frustrated at first because my essays were marked all over the page. I also had problems with the run - on sentences. Ayyy... I think I learnt how to use that but I know I still do the same and it looks so correct and natural to me. It �s something I need to work on!!     Miss Melissa.   |  21 May 2009     
					
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