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100

How are non-essential clauses punctuated?

They must be surrounded by commas (one before, one after) when they appear in the middle of a sentence. If the clause comes at the end, it is preceded by a comma and followed by a period. They can also be enclosed by dashes or parentheses

200

How can I test if a clause is non-essential?

Try crossing out the clause and reading the remaining sentence aloud. If the sentence still makes sense and retains its essential meaning, the clause is non-essential. If removing it makes the sentence nonsensical or changes its meaning, it is an essential clause.

300
  1. Does the clause change the sentence's meaning?
    • Example: "The woman working the register can complete your purchase." (If removed, it changes meaning, so it is essential).

yes


400

Identify the non-essential clause: "The Tower of London which was built in 1078 is still standing."

which was built in 1078

500

Are non-essential clauses surrounded by commas?

yes