The self-taught paleontologist Mary Anning patrolled the crumbling cliffs of Lyme Regis to search for prehistoric remains. Along the shore, she discovered the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton. This remarkable fossil, which challenged established scientific views about the history of the Earth, paved the way for modern paleontology.
Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?
- NO CHANGEAnswer
- Bfossil, which challenged established scientific views about the history of the Earth paved
- Cfossil; which challenged established scientific views about the history of the Earth, paved
- Dfossil, that challenged established scientific views about the history of the Earth, paved
Answer
The correct answer is the option that keeps the original punctuation intact, as the nonessential relative clause is correctly enclosed in a pair of commas.
The clause beginning with 'which' is nonessential and provides extra information about the fossil. It is correctly set off by a pair of commas, one before 'which' and one after 'Earth', allowing the main subject 'fossil' to connect smoothly to its verb 'paved'.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
Estimated Time:1m 0s