Non-defining rel. clauses

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

Hermann Ebbinghaus, who mapped the forgetting curve in 1885, showed we forget half of new information within a day. The fix, which researchers have since confirmed in dozens of studies, is spaced repetition.

Grammar Reference · Non-defining rel. clauses

which — whole clause

She passed the exam, which surprised everyone. — which comments on the whole idea before the comma

Hedging with which

Sleep improves recall, which suggests schools should rethink homework. — softens a claim by adding it as comment

Comma rule

Spaced repetition, which Ebbinghaus discovered, really works. — always use commas; remove the clause and the sentence still stands

Common error

The method which works is spaced repetition. ✗ — no commas = defining clause; add commas to make it non-defining

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Non-defining rel. clauses

1.Ebbinghaus, mapped the forgetting curve in 1885, was a German psychologist.

2.Spaced repetition, involves reviewing material at increasing intervals, improves long-term retention.

3.She scored top of the class, meant she could skip the revision workshop.

4.The school introduced an evidence-based curriculum, students found much more engaging.

5.Carol Dweck, research on mindset is widely cited, teaches at Stanford University.

6.He drew a blank during the exam, suggested the neural pathway had not been reinforced.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.The method works well. Researchers confirmed it in many studies.

2.Paulo Freire changed modern pedagogy. His ideas were radical at the time.

3.She passed the benchmark test. This surprised her teacher.

4.The school ran an inquiry-based programme. Students found it more effective than rote learning.

5.Ebbinghaus studied memory for decades. He published his findings in 1885.

6.The brain replays information during sleep. Scientists call this memory consolidation.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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