Which nonessential clause

If the main point of the sentence is not lost or distorted, then, yes, it is nonessential and needs punctuation. Otherwise, it is essential and no punctuation is required. Tea that is caffeinated keeps me up at night. My refrigerator, which is only about 5 years old, started leaking. Emily Dickinson—who was born in Amherst, Massachusetts—was an American poet.

The astronaut who first walked on the Moon was Neil Armstrong. The student was introduced to the well-known artist, whom she was excited to meet. As these examples demonstrate, the relative pronouns that , which , who , whose , and whom are used to introduce both essential and nonessential clauses that modify or describe a noun.

The following are examples of essential and nonessential clauses in which the relative pronouns are implied but not expressed. The person seated next to me wouldn't stop talking during the show.

Students trying out for the team must sign up by Friday. The house we wanted to look at has been sold. The company, located in Boston, is changing its name. The band, playing the latest hits, entertained the crowd. The physics teacher I had in 11th grade inspired me. A writer's awareness of essential and nonessential clauses, and when to correctly include or exclude a comma or other punctuation pause when using them, might go unnoticed by readers as proper use of punctuation and grammar often does.

However, having that writerly awareness can make a reader's experience that much more pleasant or that much less painful. It is an essential quality for a good writer to have. The key is to recognize that the comma before was can mark the end of a non-essential clause. To fix the sentence, you can therefore begin the non-essential clause after culture. Correct: The Olmec culture, which flourished in the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco, was among the earliest complex civilizations.

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Yes, add me to your mailing list. Question of the Day. Commas With Names and Titles, Simplified. Barry Garelick on Common Core Math. Cogito Zero Sum. Hannah Arendt on The Crisis in Education. Educational Jargon Generator. EduBabble Bingo. English is Not Normal. Everybody is Stupid Except You. Gary Saul Morson on Anna Karenina. Letter Against Learning Styles. Reflections on Liberal Education. The Revenge of K Education.

Seven Myths About Education. Silent StopWatch for standardized tests. Guide to non-essential clauses by Erica L. Modern usage has blurred the distinction between the two. Correct grammar specifies their use though it sometimes gets cast aside. The best way to determine the type of clause is simply to remove it and compare it to the original sentence. If the meaning is altered or becomes unclear, the clause is essential.

Then, you can add the right pronoun and commas as necessary to make it correct. Unlike other grammar errors, the correct use of essential and nonessential clauses means understanding its context.

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