- Earlier this semester we talked about using a coma with a coordination conjunction between two independent clauses and using a coma with an introductory phrase. Today we’re going to talk about another place where comas are used or unnecessary.
- The words sound a little complex and scary so let’s break it down
- What does the word element mean?
- In grammar, an element is a descriptive word, clause, or phrase
- Restrictive: Example of a restricted driver’s license: There are certain rules you have to follow, that are essential for you to be able to drive.
- P. 432 Example: “Many US states retest drivers who are over sixty-five to check their driving competency.”
- Unrestrictive: non-essential, driving past 10:00 or with an adult, not important
- Remember the prefixes –Un and –Non mean ‘NO’
- P. 432 Example: “My parents, who are both over sixty-five, took a defensive-driving course.”
- Restrictive and unrestrictive elements are treated differently in a sentence with commas:
- Unrestrictive elements give extra information so they need extra commas
- Restrictive elements are essential and therefore they do not need commas
- P. 433 To test whether an element is nonrestrictive, read the sentence without the element. If the meaning of the sentence does not change, the element is nonrestrictive.
- Sometimes whether to treat a relative clause as restrictive or nonrestrictive is simply a judgment call.
In-class examples. Determine whether each sentence contains a restrictive or nonrestrictive element. Add commas if appropriate.
- The annual Dunder Mifflin report which was distributed yesterday compares the sales of all of the company branches.
- The employees in the accounting department have differing religious and moral values.
- Employees who work at Dunder Mifflin get to pick out their own birthday cake every year.
- Dwight Schrute the assistant to the regional manager lives on a 60-acre beet farm.
- Michael Scott the head of the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company is inappropriate and offensive.
- Conflicts that arise in the office are usually politically incorrect and hilarious.
Your turn: Write your own sentences using the word(s) in parenthesis.
- (television show) ______________________________________________________________________________
- (character) ______________________________________________________________________________