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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Non-defining relative clauses- removing the pronoun

I am aware that supposedly you can't remove the relative pronoun in a non-defining relative clause, for example:

"Her son, who is a strikingly handsome man in his 20s, is getting married this year."

Removing just 'who' would make no sense. However:

"Her son, a strikingly handsome man in his 20s, is getting married this year."

DOES make sense. Is this no longer a non-defining relative clause? If so, what has it become?

Thanks to anyone who replies, I need to know ASAP. Emotion: smile
  

Top answer

Hi, It's an appositive. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, It's an appositive.
  • Clive
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2 Answers
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Hi,

It's an appositive.

Clive
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AnonymousHer son, who is a strikingly handsome man in his 20s, ...
Her son, a strikingly handsome man in his 20s,By the way, this transformation is called "Whiz Deletion". It deletes a wh word (who, which) and a form of be (is, are, ...). wh + is is referred to as whiz.

CJ
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