In general, that is not introduced by a comma, as this would separate the two sentences which that (conjunction) links. In other cases, a relative clause may be essential. Strictly speaking no comma is required. What meaning does the word “in her turn “indicate? Let’s begin with an example of a complete sentence. After earning a perfect score on the Writing SAT, I worked my way through Brown University by moonlighting as a Kaplan Test Prep tutor. In the case of an indirect question, as in the example above, no comma should be used. As you know, unless the sentence is very short, a comma does come before "but" when it introduces the second independent clause. In English we do not have this rule (if we did, I would have put a comma between “rule” and “that” in the previous sentence). If the clause begins with a which, continue to step 2. a. By making these two modifications—either replacing “which” with “that” or omitting the word “which”—you can avoid questions of comma usage. Also, ask yourself whether the phrase is essential. An indirect question has been rewritten in a declarative style that doesn’t require a question mark. It does not change the meaning and is not absolutely necessary, but it makes the long sentence simpler to parse and therefore the meaning is … Simply put, you should use a comma before which when it precedes a nonrestrictive modifying clause. Dependent clauses (clauses introduced by words like “that”, “which”, “who”, “where”, “how”, etc.) Oxford commas are also known as serial or Harvard commas. You must be signed in to continue. Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up. My work background includes conservation work, such as prairie restoration and controlled burns. And . So, when in doubt, you may want to replace “which” with “that” and sidestep the question of whether or not to place commas entirely. You could easily remove the nonrestrictive clause from the sentence without changing the meaning. Commas should be used before and when joining two independent clauses or when compiling a list. Comma before which; 5 replies. 1. Parenthetical phrases can easily be removed from the sentence without changing the meaning. Use a comma before a conjunction (conjunction are words like 'and', 'or', and 'but') when it joins two independent clauses. Whether it is correct to use a comma before a coordinating conjunction ("and", "but", "or", "nor", "for", "yet", "so") depends on the situation. Besides, when you use that as a relative pronoun, you cannot use it in non defining sentences (where you use which), but these are the only ones where a comma is needed, to separate them from the main clause. They want to know which dependent clause should be deleted? Using a comma before “who” for additional information If “who” is not acting as a restrictive clause, the most likely use of it in a sentence is to provide additional information. This page has examples explaining when to use commas before 'which' and 'who' and when to omit commas. From my home office in Maui, Hawaii, I currently work on freelance and ghostwriting projects. . An apostrophe which identifies the possessive case should be used here. The example above uses “which” to introduce a defining relative clause. Note that some authors do not precede “whereas” with a comma, which I find rather unfortunate. When the information that follows the relative pronouns is essential to the sentence, you do not use a comma. When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. In this case, the meaning changes when you remove the relative phrase. It’s often used to identify one thing amongst a larger set. Current Visitors: 391 (1 member, 390 guests). Sometimes the grammer check on work says it calls for a semicolon. We need a comma before a non-restrictive relative clause that is a clause which provides information that can be left out without affecting the meaning or structure of the sentence. . Scounted the possibilities at Countrywide Motor Sales which sells used sedans, station wagons and pickup trucks. As for the comma before "but" – in your sentence I think it is preferable because it makes for easier reading. Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how you’re using and. However, we don't use a comma before a restrictive relative clause which provides essential information about the noun to which it refers. The word “which” has a few different use cases in the English language. Do not use a comma before 'which' if you could replace your 'which' with 'that.' For me, the reason for including a comma here is the fact that: Yes, the relative clause does describe "chain," that is, "the chain of the necklace.". It can stand on its own without adding another word. You can also use a comma before ‘and’ to connect two unrelated clauses. Independent clauses which are joined with a semicolon do not need a coordinating conjunction. Find the clause beginning with that or which. There really are only eight! On the other hand, if removing the phrase does nothing to the meaning of the sentence, and it still makes sense, then the phrase is non-restrictive and a comma should be used. They prefer the style guide which he advocated. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/relative-clauses-defining-and-non-defining, http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/restrictiveclauses/, https://www.dictionary.com/e/that-vs-which/, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/commas/extended_rules_for_commas.html, https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/us/easy-learning/interrogative-pronouns. After No is a plural noun or a singular noun. The word can be used as part of a nonrestrictive phrase, restrictive phrase, or prepositional phrase, and it can be used as an interrogative word. For both of those reasons, we know that “which I enjoy the most” functions as a restrictive phrase in this case, and it therefore does not require commas. Each mark has it's own job to do. jakeybum, Jan 1, 2018 #1. Our language uses exclamation marks, semicolons, dashes, and commas - just to name a few. Compose bold, clear, mistake-free writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant. In those circumstances, we call it a defining relative clause. In other words, it depends on how important the phrase is to the overall meaning of the sentence. Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following. Because clauses that aren’t restrictive are basically optional, commas are used to provide a visual cue to the reader that he or she can skip what follows. These words are called relative pronouns. I would just like to know the rule for which. When you use “which” to ask a simple question, you don’t need a comma. Look at the following sentences and try to determine whether you should use commas. Non-essential, nonrestrictive clauses should be set off from the rest of the sentence with a set of commas. In my previous roles as new media producer with Rosetta Stone, director of marketing for global ventures with The Juilliard School, and vice president of digital strategy with Up & Coming Media, I helped develop the voice for international brands. Often, you can identify a defining relative clause by asking yourself by asking yourself, would I be able to replace “which” with “that”? They should be identified with a pair of commas. He introduced a comma splice, which is a common grammatical error. Thank you. A nonrestrictive modifying clause is a phrase that adds nonessential information to a sentence without altering its meaning. 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