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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

In the fifteenth century, the invention of movable type revolutionized the distribution of knowledge across Europe. Gutenberg’s press, which was developed in Mainz, Germany allowed for the rapid mass production of texts. This dramatic shift in book manufacturing helped lay the groundwork for the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution.

Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. press, which was developed in Mainz, Germany, allowedAnswer
  3. C
    press; which was developed in Mainz, Germany, allowed
  4. D
    press, that was developed in Mainz, Germany, allowed

Answer

press, which was developed in Mainz, Germany, allowed
The correct choice properly sets off the nonessential relative clause 'which was developed in Mainz, Germany' with a pair of commas. Since the clause adds nonessential parenthetical information about Gutenberg's press, it must be separated from the main clause by commas on both sides.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the relative clause 'which was developed in Mainz, Germany' is essential or nonessential to the sentence.
The clause is nonessential (nonrestrictive) because it modifies a specific, singular noun 'Gutenberg's press' and can be removed without changing the core meaning of the sentence.
Identifying the nature of the clause determines what punctuation is required.
2
Select the option that correctly sets off this nonessential clause using a matching pair of punctuation marks.
The option containing 'press, which was developed in Mainz, Germany, allowed' correctly uses a comma before 'which' and a comma after 'Germany'.
Nonessential elements must be set off with a pair of matching commas, not a single comma, a semicolon, or commas around a restrictive 'that' clause.

Key Concept

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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