Which Sentence Contains a Restrictive Clause?

Which Sentence Contains a Restrictive Clause?

A. They decided to meet where the band was performing.

B. The children, sweaty and miserable, piled into the bus.

C. They put the baby, who was fast asleep, in his crib.

D. The girls, overwhelmed by the sale, bought many shoes.

E. The child, who was now wailing, ran toward his mother.

Answer: A. They decided to meet where the band was performing.

Explanation

A restrictive clause (or essential clause) is a part of a sentence that is crucial to its meaning. It limits or defines the noun it modifies and is not separated by commas. In Option A, "where the band was performing" is restrictive because it tells us where they decided to meet. Without this clause, the sentence "They decided to meet" would be incomplete. This clause is necessary to understand the location of the meeting, making it essential and therefore restrictive.

In contrast, the other options (B through E) contain nonrestrictive clauses, which add extra information and are set off by commas. For example, in choice C, "who was fast asleep" gives additional information about the baby but does not define which baby is meant.