7.8 Nonessential Adjective Clauses

COMPREHENSION Based on the reading, write T for true or F for false.

1. Ada Lovelace designed the first real computer, the Analytical Engine. 2. Less than 20 percent of computer science graduates in the U.S. are women. 3. Reshma Saujani is not optimistic/hopeful about the future of women in computing.

THINK ABOUT IT Discuss the questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. Do you think it is possible for an organization like Girls Who Code to make a difference in a traditionally male-dominated employment area? Why or why not? 2. How important is it that there should be a balance between the genders in a given profession? Explain.

EXAMPLES Technology was dominated by men such as Charles Babbage, with whom Ada Lovelace collaborated. Girls Who Code, which operates in the U.S., has reached almost 90,000 girls so far. Most people have heard of Steve Jobs, whose name is associated with Apple computers.

EXPLANATION Some adjective clauses are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. A nonessential adjective clause adds extra information. The sentence is complete without it. • A nonessential adjective clause is separated by commas from the main part of the sentence. • A nonessential adjective clause begins with who, whom, which, where, when, or whose. • That is not used in a nonessential adjective clause.

EXERCISE 13 Put commas in the following sentences to separate the nonessential adjective clause from the main clause.

1. The first modern computer, which was called ENIAC, took up a lot of space. 2. ENIAC was created in 1942 when the U.S. was involved in World War II.

3. Personal computers which were introduced in the 1970s were smaller and faster than previous computers. 4. Reshma Saujani whose name is not widely recognized is making a big difference in many women’s lives. 5. Bill Gates went to Harvard University where he developed the programming language BASIC. 6. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to work with Paul Allen who was his old high school friend. 7. Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, set up the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which helps people in need all over the world.

8. Jeff Bezos got money from his parents who lent him $300,000 to start Amazon. 9. Gina has started to take free classes with Girls Who Code which started a project at her school. 10. The iMac which was popular in the 1990s came in various colors such as grape and blueberry. 11. Apple computers have been popular due to their attractive design which is often sleek and colorful. 12. The new company is in California where many tech giants are based.