OpenSAT

Question #N1107

The following sentence is an excerpt from a research paper. \"The team's analysis of the data revealed that the average mass of the mycorrhizal host plants was significantly larger than the average mass of the nonmycorrhizal hosts. This finding, which is likely what the student expected, was not surprising.\"

Which choice provides the most effective way to punctuate the sentence so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. This finding, which is likely what the student expected, was not surprising.

B. This finding, which is likely what the student expected was not surprising.

C. This finding which is likely what the student expected was not surprising.

D. This finding, which is likely what the student expected, was not surprising;

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Correct Answer is: A

The sentence contains a nonessential clause, which is a phrase or clause that adds information but is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Nonessential clauses should be set off with commas. Choice A correctly uses commas to set off the nonessential clause. Choice B is incorrect because it places a comma after the word "expected" but not before "was," which creates a comma splice. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to use any commas to set off the nonessential clause. Choice D is incorrect because a semicolon is typically used to separate two independent clauses, not a nonessential clause from the main clause.