TSA CBT Practice Test

What does the example "The blue house that he built on a hill is quite large" illustrate?

1. A nonrestrictive clause

2. A dependent clause

3. A restrictive clause

4. An independent clause

The correct answer is: A restrictive clause

The example "The blue house that he built on a hill is quite large" illustrates a restrictive clause. A restrictive clause is essential to the meaning of a sentence because it defines or limits the noun it modifies—in this case, "the blue house." The phrase "that he built on a hill" specifies which house is being talked about. Without this clause, the sentence wouldn't clearly convey which house is large; it would leave ambiguity about which "blue house" is being referenced. The presence of the word "that" indicates the clause is defining which particular house is referenced. Unlike a nonrestrictive clause, which would be set off by commas and provide additional, non-essential information, the restrictive clause is integral to the sentence’s meaning.