Conquering Commas: Interrupters and Non-Essential Clauses

The video tutorial 'Conquering Commas, Lessons 8 and 9' covers the use of interrupters and non-essential clauses in sentences. It begins with a review of previous comma rules, then explains how interrupters add emotion or transition without changing sentence meaning. The tutorial also discusses non-essential clauses, which provide extra information but are not crucial to the sentence's core meaning. Examples illustrate when to use commas for non-essential elements and when to omit them for essential clauses. The lesson concludes with a review, emphasizing the importance of correctly identifying and punctuating these elements.

What is the main focus of the lesson 'Conquering Commas, Lessons 8 and 9'?

• Learning about interrupters and non-essential clauses

• Exploring introductory words and letters

• Reviewing appositives and direct address

• Understanding series and dates

Which of the following is an example of an interrupter?

• She went to the store.

• The consequences of parenthood, by the way, weren't always clear.

• The dog barked loudly.

• The cat, which was black, sat on the mat.

What is the role of interrupters in a sentence?

• To add essential information

• To break the flow for emphasis or mood

• To introduce a new topic

• To conclude a sentence

Which of the following is NOT a typical interrupter?

• For example

• Of course

• However

• Because

What is a non-essential clause?

• A phrase that introduces a sentence

• A clause that is necessary for the sentence to make sense

• A clause that changes the meaning of a sentence

• A group of words that can be removed without altering the sentence's meaning

In the sentence 'Henrietta, who was my mother's favorite chicken, laid an egg every single day,' what is the non-essential clause?

• Who was my mother's favorite chicken

• Henrietta

• Laid an egg every single day

• Every single day

Why are commas used around non-essential clauses?

• To emphasize the importance of the clause

• To show that the clause can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning

• To indicate that the clause is essential

• To separate the clause from the main sentence

Which sentence contains an essential clause?

• The students, who are in the gym, are in big trouble.

• The man who drives this red Porsche is wanted by the FBI.

• Lisa longs to go back to Springfield, where she grew up.

• The man, who drives a red Porsche, is wanted by the FBI.

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

• By adding commas around it

• By removing it and seeing if the sentence still makes sense

• By ensuring it contains a subject and predicate

• By checking if it starts with 'who', 'which', or 'where'

What should you do if a clause is essential to the meaning of a sentence?

• Remove it from the sentence

• Place it at the beginning of the sentence

• Use commas around it

• Leave it without commas