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Sprint 2.3: The Comma Changes Who You Mean

Learner uses commas around a relative clause only when the clause adds information, and leaves them out when the clause identifies which one is meant.

8 micro-lessons

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What Does This Sentence Actually Say?

Six sentences. Every one of them is grammatical.

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Students who cheat are expelled. What does this say?

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Take the Clause Out and See

One test, worked both ways, and the case of names.

One test

Remove the clause and read what is left.

If you still know which one is meant, the clause was extra — use commas.

If you no longer know, the clause was identifying — no commas.

1 / 3

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With and Without

A fence around some of the crowd, and a label above all of it.

Two pairs of sentences, each showing the sentence with its clause removed, one labelled DIFFERENT CLAIM NO COMMAS and the other SAME BROTHER COMMAS.

Click to zoom

The fence picks some out. The note is about everyone.

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Needs Commas, or Must Not Have Them

Twelve sentences. Six contain a name.

Sort each item into the correct category

Needs commas

Must not have commas

Unassigned

The Amazon ___ is the largest rainforest ___ is shrinking

Students ___ who cheat ___ are expelled

Any student ___ who arrives late ___ is marked absent

My mother ___ who lives in Leeds ___ is a nurse

The countries ___ that signed the treaty ___ have complied

Einstein ___ who published in 1905 ___ was then unknown

The workers ___ who protested ___ were dismissed

The Nile ___ which flows north ___ is the longest river

Every applicant ___ who is late ___ will be rejected

Shakespeare ___ who wrote in English ___ is widely translated

The policies ___ that failed ___ were withdrawn

The Pacific ___ which is the largest ocean ___ is warming

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Apply the Removal Test

Three chains. Remove the clause before punctuating.

Apply the removal test before you punctuate. Take the clause out, then decide.

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1. Students who cheat are expelled.

Remove the clause: Students are expelled. Do you still know which students?

So the commas are .

2. My brother who lives in Delhi is a doctor. You have one brother.

Remove the clause: do you still know which brother?

So the commas are .

3. The Amazon which is the largest rainforest is shrinking.

Can a clause narrow the Amazon?

So the commas are .

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Punctuate for Your Meaning

Eight sentences with the meaning stated underneath.

Each sentence has a meaning stated under it. Write commas or none to produce that meaning.

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The engineers who worked overtime were paid extra. (only some worked overtime) →
My sister who studies law lives abroad. (you have one sister) →
The Thames which flows through London is tidal. (there is one Thames) →
The students who failed will resit. (only the ones who failed) →
Any driver who parks here will be fined. (a rule for all drivers who do it) →
Marie Curie who won two Nobel prizes taught in Paris. (one Marie Curie) →
The reports that arrived after Friday were rejected. (only the late ones) →
My laptop which I bought in 2019 still works. (you have one laptop) →

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