💋 Sometimes, you just have to add a bit of spice.
We already know how to identify people in a crowded room. But what if we already know exactly who we are talking about, and we just want to add some scandalous extra information? Enter the Non-Defining Relative Clause. It is the grammatical equivalent of whispering a juicy secret behind your hand. These clauses are surrounded by commas, and if you take them out of the sentence, the main fact still makes perfect sense.
- Extra information (phrase): Details that are not strictly necessary to understand who we are talking about, but make the story much more interesting.
- Under the radar (idiom): Keeping a low profile; doing something secretly so nobody notices.
1. The Cheeky Dictionary: 8 Words for Secret Romance
Practice: drag a word, or select it and choose a gap.
1. They tried to keep their relationship completely , but everyone in the office knew.
2. He was kissing his ex-girlfriend in the smoking area.
3. It wasn't a serious relationship, it was just a summer in Ibiza.
4. I can't believe she would her best friend by dating her ex-husband.
5. They have to because his parents strictly forbid him from dating her.
6. When the news of the politician's secret leaked to the press, it caused a massive .
7. He told me he was single, but it turns out I was just his .
Choose a word, then choose a gap.
2. Grammar Mechanics: The Brackets of Gossip
Think of commas in a non-defining relative clause like the brackets of gossip. You open the comma, drop the secret detail, and close the comma. 🚨 Crucial Rule: You can NEVER use the word "that" in a non-defining relative clause!
| The Subject | The Gossip (Between Commas) | The Main Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Dave, | who has a secret wife in London, | just asked me out on a date. |
| The Torquay Hotel, | where they had their secret affair, | is closing down tomorrow. |
| His Porsche, | which he bought to impress his side piece, | was completely ruined in a crash. |
Notice how if you remove the comma section, the sentence still makes perfect sense! "Dave just asked me out on a date." We already know who Dave is; the extra info is just a bonus scandal.
3. Reading: The Office Scandal
Notice how Megan and Josh use commas to insert juicy extra details!
4. Interactive Practice: Adding the Spice
Exercise A: The "That" Trap
1. Which sentence is grammatically CORRECT?
2. Which sentence is grammatically CORRECT?
Exercise B: Add the Gossip
Insert the correct relative pronoun (who, which, whose, where) to complete the extra information.
1. My best mate, has terrible taste in men, is dating a DJ.
2. The local pub, we always go on Fridays, was packed last night.
3. Mark, girlfriend is lovely, is secretly on Tinder!
5. Speaking Practice: Spilling the Tea ☕
- Tell your partner a piece of gossip about a famous celebrity, using a non-defining relative clause. (e.g., "Leonardo DiCaprio, who dates young models, is...")
- Have you ever known someone who was caught red-handed having an affair? What happened?
- In your opinion, is a small fling a complete betrayal, or can relationships survive it?
- Think of a friend. Tell us one normal fact about them, and insert a non-defining clause with some extra, funny information!
- Why do you think some people enjoy the thrill of sneaking around and keeping things under the radar?