Commas and non-restrictive elements Adding zest to your writing

The comma Can help you identify non-essential information Non-restrictive phrases Non-restrictive clauses Appositives

Non-restrictive elements Give additional information to a reader, but are not essential to the sentence to be understood Can be removed from the sentence and not change the meaning

Non-restrictive elements Phrases: Will function as an adjective Martha gave her son Jerry, the one with a good job and big house, a kiss on the cheek. She happens to love this author, an unrecognized Romantic writer during his life time, because of his elegant style. She left the keys on the table, a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

Non-restrictive elements Clauses: Usually begin with the relative pronouns who or which Mother purchased a new car, which I did not know was so small, with a check. Theo and Rebecca introduced Ms. Smalls, who owned a juice company, to the audience. I have four cupcakes, which I decorated with pink sprinkles.

Non-restrictive elements Appositives: Add information about a nearby noun Harry, a star athlete, is going to Rome to play basketball. The cat, a colorful mixed breed, has been adopted by a lovely family. Frank, my best friend, just won the lottery.

Remember if you introduce a non-restrictive element in the middle of a sentence to begin and end it with a comma. That does not usually signal a non-restrictive element and will not have a comma that precedes it