Identifying Nouns
Restrictive relative clauses identify nouns. They tell apart one person or thing from other people or things. They answer the question "which ones(s)?" Restrictive relative clauses express necessary information. They cannot be omitted without affecting the meaning of the sentence.
With a Relative Clause
Janice: Are your children in the school play?
Marco: Yes, the boy that's wearing the frog costume and the girl that's wearing a rabbit costume are mine. (The relative clause identifies who Marco's kids are and separates them from the other kids.)
Without a Relative Clause
Tanya: Are your children in the school play?
Lisa: Yes, the boy and the girl are mine.
Tanya: Which boy and girl?
(The meaning is incomplete because Marco's children have not been properly identified).
Restrictive relative clauses are used in definitions as well.
A locksmith is a person who makes and repairs locks and keys.
A penguin is a black and white bird which lives in the Antarctic.
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