For decades, art historians debated the authenticity of the Renaissance portrait. The local historian who discovered the forgotten letters, an expert on the artist’s early life recently published a groundbreaking study that resolved the mystery. This publication has sparked renewed interest in the painter's early works.
Which of the following choices best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?
- ANO CHANGE
- B, who discovered the forgotten letters, an expert on the artist’s early life, recently published
- who discovered the forgotten letters, an expert on the artist’s early life, recently publishedAnswer
- Dwho discovered the forgotten letters; an expert on the artist’s early life, recently published
Answer
The correct option is the one that leaves the restrictive clause unpunctuated while properly enclosing the nonessential appositive phrase in commas.
The correct choice leaves 'who discovered the forgotten letters' without a preceding comma because it is a restrictive relative clause that identifies the specific historian. It also correctly places a pair of commas around 'an expert on the artist’s early life' because it is a nonessential appositive phrase providing extra detail.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Distinguishing between restrictive and nonessential modifiers to apply punctuation correctly.