Which sentence correctly uses a nonessential clause set off by commas?

Which sentence correctly uses a nonessential clause set off by commas?

• A. The book, which was published in 1999, won an award.
• B. The book which was published in 1999 won an award.
• C. The book which was published in 1999, won an award.
• D. The book which was published in 1999; won an award.

Answer: (A)

Nonessential (nonrestrictive) clauses add extra information about a noun and are set off by commas. You can take them out, and the sentence would still convey the same main point. In the sentence that correctly uses this, the clause that provides extra detail—which was published in 1999—is surrounded by commas on both sides. This shows that the information about being published in 1999 is additional, not necessary to identify the book. If you drop that clause, you still have a complete sentence: The book won an award. The other forms misuse punctuation or structure. Without the surrounding commas, the clause would be treated as essential, narrowing which book is being talked about, which isn’t the intent here. Using which without proper commas around a nonessential clause is not the standard American usage for nonessential information. Placing a comma after the clause instead of around it breaks the rule that the nonessential information must be set off on both sides. And using a semicolon in this spot doesn’t join the ideas correctly.

Nonessential (nonrestrictive) clauses add extra information about a noun and are set off by commas. You can take them out, and the sentence would still convey the same main point.

In the sentence that correctly uses this, the clause that provides extra detail—which was published in 1999—is surrounded by commas on both sides. This shows that the information about being published in 1999 is additional, not necessary to identify the book. If you drop that clause, you still have a complete sentence: The book won an award.

The other forms misuse punctuation or structure. Without the surrounding commas, the clause would be treated as essential, narrowing which book is being talked about, which isn’t the intent here. Using which without proper commas around a nonessential clause is not the standard American usage for nonessential information. Placing a comma after the clause instead of around it breaks the rule that the nonessential information must be set off on both sides. And using a semicolon in this spot doesn’t join the ideas correctly.