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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

Read the passage below and answer the question that follows.

Located off the coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system on Earth. The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles is home to thousands of unique marine species. Protecting this fragile ecosystem is a primary concern for modern marine biologists.

Which of the following choices represents the correct punctuation for the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles is
  2. Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles, isAnswer
  3. C
    Reef; which stretches over 1,400 miles, is
  4. D
    Reef, that stretches over 1,400 miles, is

Answer

The correct choice is the one that sets off the nonessential relative clause with a pair of commas: 'Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles, is'.
The relative clause 'which stretches over 1,400 miles' is nonessential because the proper noun 'Great Barrier Reef' already specifies exactly which reef is being discussed. Nonessential clauses must be set off from the rest of the sentence using a pair of commas. Placing a comma after 'Reef' and another after 'miles' correctly brackets the information without interrupting the relationship between the subject and its verb.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause modifying the subject.
The clause 'which stretches over 1,400 miles' modifies the subject 'Great Barrier Reef'.
Understanding the function of the modifier helps determine whether it is essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive) to the meaning of the sentence.
2
Determine if the clause is essential or nonessential.
The clause is nonessential because the proper noun 'Great Barrier Reef' already uniquely identifies the subject.
Nonessential elements must be set off with punctuation (a pair of commas), whereas restrictive elements should not have commas.
3
Select the option that correctly encloses the nonessential clause with a pair of commas.
A comma must appear before the relative pronoun 'which' (after 'Reef') and at the end of the clause (after 'miles').
This maintains the grammatical integrity of the sentence by separating the parenthetical information from the main subject and verb ('The Great Barrier Reef... is home').

Key Concept

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

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