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Question

Difficulty: EasyCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

The museum houses thousands of historical artifacts from ancient civilizations. The obsidian [underline]blade, which was discovered in a volcanic region, is[/underline] the collection's highlight. Archaeologists believe it was used in royal ceremonies.

Which of the following is the best version of the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    blade, which was discovered in a volcanic region is
  3. C
    blade; which was discovered in a volcanic region, is
  4. D
    blade, that was discovered in a volcanic region, is

Answer

NO CHANGE
The correct answer properly sets off the nonessential relative clause 'which was discovered in a volcanic region' with a pair of commas. Because the clause is parenthetical and not necessary to identify the specific 'obsidian blade,' it requires punctuation to separate it from the main flow of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the underlined clause 'which was discovered in a volcanic region' is essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive) to the meaning of the sentence.
The clause is nonessential because removing it ('The obsidian blade is the collection's highlight') does not alter the core meaning or identity of the subject.
Nonessential information must be set off from the rest of the sentence with punctuation, typically commas.
2
Verify the correct punctuation placement around the nonessential clause.
A pair of commas must enclose the clause: one comma after 'blade' and another comma after 'region'.
This cleanly separates the parenthetical description from the main subject and verb of the independent clause.

Key Concept

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
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Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

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