Nonessential Phrases Lesson

Commas with NONessential clauses

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I have three dogs but I say: My dog has a long tail

you ask : which dog?

My dog Snoopy has a long tail.

Snoopy identifies which dog and is necessary to understanding my sentence.

People don't like to look down from balconies or terraces.

Is this true about all people?

No, so I need to include which people?

People who are afraid of heights don't like to look down from balconies or terraces.

Now I understand that it is a specific group of people, so the information is necessary to complete my idea.

But what if I include information that is not necessary?

NONessential : Not necessary

The sentence still makes sense and you know everything you need to know even without the (group of words) clause.

Read the sentence. Notice the extra information about Atlanta?

• Atlanta which is the capital of Georgia is the transportation center of the Southeast.

• Do I really need to tell you it's the capital so that you understand that it is the transportation center??

• No, it is extra information and I need to use a comma before and after my extra information.

Atlanta, which is the capital of Georgia, is the transportation center of the Southeast.

the extra information is set apart using a comma before and after

One more example before you begin

My mother lives in Escondido, a town near San Diego.

Ok, just one more before you begin

An insurance executive, Charles Ives wrote music in his spare time.

Multiple Choice

Edwin Arlington Robinson, an American poet, wrote the simple yet frightening poem Richard Cory.

• these words are not essential and the commas ARE necessary

• these words are necessary and should NOT be placed in commas

Multiple Choice

These sunglasses which Ross took with him only at the last minute did come in handy at the seashore.

Which group of words is NONessential?

• which Ross took with him only at the last minute

• at the last minute

• at the seashore.

Fill in the Blanks

COPY and PASTE the sentence. Then add 2 COMMAS around the EXTRA INFO.

This paint which cost far too much will not add anything to the room.

Fill in the Blanks

COPY and PASTE the sentence and add 2 COMMAS around the EXTRA INFO.

Nelson Mandela the president of South Africa was freed from a South African prison in 1990.

Fill in the Blanks

Copy and paste the sentence and add 2 COMMAS around the EXTRA INFO.

Our tour guide the young man in the safari hat is a native of Kenya.

Fill in the Blanks

Copy and paste the sentence then add ONE COMMA around the EXTRA INFO.

You would enjoy Mesa Verde National Park a place I have visited.

Last one...

Fill in the Blanks

Copy and paste the sentence then add ONE COMMA around the EXTRA INFORMATION.

The actress went to school in Nashville the capital of Tennessee.

The End