16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardOpening comma for a nonessential 'whose' clause

Standard English Conventions practice question

The sculptor ____ works fill the museum's atrium, will give a talk on Friday.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. , whoseCorrect
  2. B. whose
  3. C. ; whose
  4. D. , whose,

Answer: A. , whose

The comma after 'atrium' closes a nonessential clause, so it must be opened with a matching comma before 'whose'.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. whose
Without the opening comma, the clause is closed but never opened.
C. ; whose
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side; 'whose works fill the atrium' is dependent.
D. , whose,
A comma after 'whose' separates it from 'works'.

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