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Question

Difficulty: MediumPunctuation of Nonessential Elements

In 1811, twelve-year-old Mary Anning made a remarkable discovery along the fossil-rich cliffs of Lyme Regis, England. The specimen [blank] was initially misidentified as a crocodile skull before being recognized as a prehistoric marine reptile known as an ichthyosaur. This finding, along with Anning’s subsequent discoveries, significantly advanced the field of paleontology during the nineteenth century.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. , which Anning and her brother excavated over several months,Answer
  2. B
    —which Anning and her brother excavated over several months,
  3. C
    , which Anning and her brother excavated over several months
  4. D
    which Anning and her brother excavated over several months,

Answer

The option that surrounds the relative clause with matching commas
The correct option sets off the nonessential relative clause with matching commas. Since the subject 'The specimen' is already specific, the relative clause beginning with 'which' is nonessential and must be enclosed in identical punctuation marks to separate it from the main subject and verb.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the nonessential element in the sentence.
The clause 'which Anning and her brother excavated over several months' is nonessential because the sentence's main subject, 'The specimen', is already specific and uniquely identified.
Nonessential elements provide extra, parenthetical information and must be set off from the rest of the sentence by matching punctuation marks.
2
Check the surrounding sentence structure to determine punctuation requirements.
The sentence begins with the subject 'The specimen' and continues with the verb phrase 'was initially misidentified...'. The nonessential clause is inserted between them.
A nonessential element embedded within a main clause must be set off on both sides by identical punctuation marks (either a pair of commas or a pair of em dashes).
3
Evaluate the choices to find matching punctuation.
The option beginning with a comma and ending with a comma correctly isolates the nonessential clause.
Using a comma on one side and a different punctuation mark (or no punctuation) on the other side creates asymmetrical punctuation, which violates Standard English conventions.

Key Concept

Punctuation of Nonessential Elements
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Topics

Punctuation of Nonessential Elements

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