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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

The following passage is an excerpt from an essay about the history of science.

In 1952, British biophysicist Rosalind Franklin produced Photo 51, a high-resolution X-ray diffraction image of DNA. The image that Franklin captured was shown to rival scientists James Watson and Francis Crick without her knowledge or consent. Watson and Crick used this key piece of evidence to determine the double-helix structure of the molecule.

Which of the following punctuation choices for the underlined portion is grammatically correct?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    , that Franklin captured,
  3. C
    , which Franklin captured
  4. D
    ; which Franklin captured,

Answer

The correct answer is the option containing only the underlined text 'that Franklin captured' without punctuation (NO CHANGE).
The relative clause 'that Franklin captured' is restrictive because it is essential to identifying which specific image is being referred to. Restrictive clauses must not be set off by commas. Therefore, the original phrasing with no punctuation is correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify whether the relative clause 'that Franklin captured' is restrictive (essential) or nonrestrictive (nonessential) in the context of the sentence.
The clause specifies exactly which 'image' is being discussed (Photo 51, the one Franklin captured), making it restrictive.
Determining whether a modifier is essential or nonessential is the first step in deciding if it requires commas.
2
Apply the correct punctuation rule for restrictive relative clauses.
Restrictive clauses are not set off by commas or other punctuation.
Because the clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, it must not be separated from its referent.
3
Evaluate the options to find the correct punctuation layout.
The original sentence has no punctuation around the clause, which is correct (NO CHANGE). The other options incorrectly add commas or semicolons.
Selecting the option that matches the rule of not punctuating restrictive clauses.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between restrictive (essential) and nonrestrictive (nonessential) clauses to apply correct punctuation rules.
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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