Question

which sentence contains a correctly punctuated nonrestrictive modifier?

jake, who is twenty-seven, is studying to be a yoga teacher.
jake who is, twenty-seven, is studying to be a yoga teacher.
jake who is twenty-seven is, studying to be, a yoga teacher.
jake, who is twenty-seven is, studying to be a yoga teacher.

Explanation:

🆕 New Concept Discovered: Nonrestrictive Modifiers
Extra information set off by commas.

Step 1: Understand nonrestrictive modifiers

A nonrestrictive modifier adds extra, non-essential information to a sentence. If you remove it, the sentence still makes complete sense. Because it is extra information, it must be set off from the rest of the sentence using commas at both the beginning and the end of the modifier:

$$ \text{Subject, [extra info], verb ...} $$

Step 2: Identify the modifier and the main sentence

• Main sentence: "Jake is studying to be a yoga teacher."
• Extra information (modifier): "who is twenty-seven"

Step 3: Evaluate the punctuation options

• Option 1: "Jake, who is twenty-seven, is studying to be a yoga teacher."
• Analysis: The modifier "who is twenty-seven" is correctly enclosed by a comma at the start and a comma at the end.
• Option 2: "Jake who is, twenty-seven, is studying to be a yoga teacher."
• Analysis: The commas are placed incorrectly inside the modifier.
• Option 3: "Jake who is twenty-seven is, studying to be, a yoga teacher."
• Analysis: The modifier has no commas around it, and commas are incorrectly placed around "studying to be".
• Option 4: "Jake, who is twenty-seven is, studying to be a yoga teacher."
• Analysis: There is a starting comma but no closing comma directly after the modifier "twenty-seven".

Answer:

Jake, who is twenty-seven, is studying to be a yoga teacher.