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Question

Difficulty: EasyCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

The library features a special collection of classic literature. The novel that Mary Shelley wrote, which became a bestseller, is displayed in a glass case. Visitors can view the original manuscript and hand-drawn illustrations.

Which of the following is the correct punctuation for the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    novel, that Mary Shelley wrote, which became a bestseller,
  3. C
    novel that Mary Shelley wrote, which became a bestseller
  4. D
    novel that Mary Shelley wrote; which became a bestseller,

Answer

NO CHANGE
The correct answer is the option that makes no changes to the underlined text. The clause 'that Mary Shelley wrote' is restrictive (essential to identifying the novel) and should not be set off by commas. The clause 'which became a bestseller' is nonrestrictive (adds extra information) and must be enclosed by commas on both sides, which is correctly done in the original sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify whether the clause 'that Mary Shelley wrote' is essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive).
Essential
It specifies which novel is being referred to, so it should not be set off by commas.
2
Identify whether the clause 'which became a bestseller' is essential or nonessential.
Nonessential
It adds extra information about the novel but is not necessary to identify it, meaning it must be enclosed by a pair of commas.
3
Select the option that correctly leaves the restrictive clause unpunctuated and sets off the nonessential clause with commas on both sides.
NO CHANGE
The original sentence is already punctuated correctly.

Key Concept

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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