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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

In Barcelona, Spain, several architectural masterpieces designed by Antoni Gaudí draw millions of visitors each year. The basilica of La Sagrada Família , which is Gaudí’s most famous work, features towering spires and intricate facades. Construction on this iconic structure began in 1882 and remains unfinished to this day.

Which option represents the most grammatically correct punctuation for the underlined portion of the passage?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    , which is Gaudí’s most famous work
  3. C
    ; which is Gaudí’s most famous work,
  4. D
    , that is Gaud��s most famous work,

Answer

The correct option is 'NO CHANGE' because it properly uses a pair of commas to set off the nonessential relative clause.
The correct option preserves the original punctuation, which uses a pair of commas to enclose the nonessential relative clause. Because 'La Sagrada Família' is a specific noun, the relative clause starting with 'which' is nonessential and must be set off with commas on both sides.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the underlined clause is essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive) to the meaning of the sentence.
The clause 'which is Gaudí’s most famous work' provides extra, nonessential information about the already identified noun 'the basilica of La Sagrada Família'.
Nonessential information must be set off from the rest of the sentence by punctuation (usually commas), whereas essential information must not.
2
Select the correct punctuation to set off this nonessential clause.
A matching pair of commas—one before 'which' and one after 'work'—is required to isolate the nonessential clause. Semicolons cannot be used here because they create sentence fragments when separating dependent clauses.
This maintains the grammatical flow of the sentence, allowing the subject 'The basilica of La Sagrada Família' to connect smoothly to the verb 'features' once the parenthetical information is removed.

Key Concept

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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