which sentence explains why commas are used with nonrestrictive elements?
Commas are used with nonrestrictive elements in a sentence to separate additional information that is not essential to the main meaning of the sentence. This is because nonrestrictive elements can be removed from the sentence without changing its overall meaning or structure. To understand why commas are used with nonrestrictive elements, it is important to first understand the difference between restrictive and nonrestrictive elements in a sentence.
Restrictive elements are essential to the meaning of a sentence and cannot be omitted without changing its meaning. These elements do not require commas. On the other hand, nonrestrictive elements provide additional, non-essential information about a noun or pronoun in the sentence and can be omitted without affecting the core meaning of the sentence. These elements are usually set off by commas.
To identify whether a clause or phrase in a sentence is restrictive or nonrestrictive, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the noun or pronoun that the clause or phrase modifies.
2. Consider whether the information provided by the clause or phrase is necessary for understanding the noun or pronoun. If the information is necessary, the element is restrictive and does not require commas. If the information is extra or non-essential, the element is nonrestrictive and should be separated by commas.
Let's look at an example:
1. The dog that is barking is mine.
In this sentence, the clause "that is barking" restrictively modifies the noun "dog." The information provided by the clause is essential to understand which dog is being referred to, so no commas are used.
2. The dog, who is barking, is mine.
In this sentence, the clause "who is barking" nonrestrictively modifies the noun "dog." The information provided by the clause is extra and not necessary to understand which dog is being referred to, so commas are used to set off the nonrestrictive element.
By understanding the difference between restrictive and nonrestrictive elements and following these guidelines, you can determine when and why to use commas with nonrestrictive elements in a sentence.