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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

Many plant species rely on mutualistic relationships with fungi to absorb nutrients from the soil. The ghost orchid, which lacks leaves and chlorophyll, depends entirely on mycorrhizal fungi for survival. Without this symbiotic partner, the orchid seeds would fail to germinate.

Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    orchid, which lacks leaves and chlorophyll depends
  3. C
    orchid; which lacks leaves and chlorophyll, depends
  4. D
    orchid, that lacks leaves and chlorophyll, depends

Answer

The correct choice is the original phrasing, which correctly uses a pair of commas to set off the nonessential relative clause.
The relative clause 'which lacks leaves and chlorophyll' provides nonessential descriptive details about the ghost orchid. Since the noun phrase 'the ghost orchid' already uniquely specifies the subject, the relative clause is nonessential and must be enclosed by a pair of commas. The original phrasing correctly starts the clause with a comma after 'orchid' and closes it with a comma after 'chlorophyll'.

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 lacks leaves and chlorophyll' is nonessential because 'ghost orchid' is a specific species name that already identifies the subject.
Nonessential information must be set off from the main clause using punctuation (commas, dashes, or parentheses), whereas essential information receives no punctuation.
2
Select the correct punctuation pattern to enclose the nonessential clause.
A pair of commas must surround the clause, with one comma immediately before 'which' and another immediately after 'chlorophyll'.
Omitting one of the commas or using a semicolon incorrectly interrupts the grammatical structure of the sentence.

Key Concept

Setting off nonessential relative clauses with a pair of commas
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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