Essential vs Nonessential Clauses: Comma Usage Explained

What should you do if you're unsure about the concepts discussed in previous videos?

• Continue watching without reviewing.

• Review past exercises and notes.

• Skip the review and guess the answers.

• Only focus on new video content.

What is the purpose of essential phrases in a sentence?

• To introduce new topics.

• To add interesting but unnecessary details.

• To define the subject in a crucial way.

• To make the sentence longer.

Which type of phrase would you use without commas to separate it from the rest of the sentence?

• Both essential and non-essential phrases

• Essential phrase

• Non-essential phrase

• Neither essential nor non-essential phrases

What happens to the sentence's meaning if an essential phrase is removed?

• The meaning remains unchanged.

• The sentence becomes clearer.

• The fundamental meaning changes.

• It becomes grammatically incorrect.

Which word might indicate the presence of an essential phrase?

• And

• But

• Also

• Who

What is a characteristic of non-essential phrases?

• They are crucial for the sentence's structure.

• They provide additional, non-crucial information.

• They cannot be moved around in the sentence.

• They change the fundamental meaning of the sentence.

How should non-essential phrases be punctuated in a sentence?

• With a semicolon

• With commas or parentheses

• With a period

• With no punctuation

What should you do to determine if a phrase is non-essential?

• Ensure it introduces a new topic.

• Verify it uses the word 'and'.

• Confirm it cannot be moved within the sentence.

• Check if the sentence makes sense without it.

What indicates that a phrase might be non-essential?

• It interrupts the flow of the sentence.

• It defines the subject specifically.

• It is at the beginning of a sentence.

• It contains a verb.

Which example shows correct usage of commas with a non-essential phrase?

• She quickly, ran to the store.

• He is, without doubt, smart.

• Students who cheat risk failing.

• My brother, who likes fishing, is a doctor.