IXL | What does the punctuation suggest?

What does the following sentence suggest?

Gestational diabetes is a blood-sugar disorder that develops during pregnancy; pregnant women who have been diagnosed with the disease must avoid foods high in sugar.

Certain pregnant women must avoid foods high in sugar.

All pregnant women must avoid foods high in sugar.

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Learn with an example

question

What does the following sentence suggest?

According to law, foods that have been produced and processed according to certain government standards are allowed to bear the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Organic label.

All foods are allowed to bear the USDA Organic label.

Only certain foods are allowed to bear the USDA Organic label.

key idea

A restrictive element in a sentence is necessary in order for a reader to identify exactly who or what is being discussed. Restrictive information is not set off with commas.

The teacher who is retiring is being honored with an award on Friday.

The underlined restrictive clause helps a reader identify which teacher is being honored.

The teacher is being honored with an award on Friday.

Without the restrictive clause, a reader doesn't know which teacher is being honored.

A nonrestrictive element provides information that is supplemental; it is not necessary in order for a reader to identify who or what is being discussed. Nonrestrictive information is always set off with commas.

The Golden Gate Bridge, which first opened in 1937, took over four years to build.

The underlined information isn't required to interpret the sentence.

The Golden Gate Bridge took over four years to build.

Without the information, a reader still knows which bridge took four years to build.

As you write, be sure to use commas correctly to indicate whether information is restrictive or nonrestrictive.

Restrictive:

Ethan's sister Julie has recently started working for a new company in Toronto.

If Ethan has more than one sister, do not use commas around Julie. The name Julie is required in order for a reader to identify which of Ethan's sisters is being discussed.

Nonrestrictive:

Ethan's sister, Julie, has recently started working for a new company in Toronto.

If Ethan has only one sister, use commas around Julie. The name Julie is not needed in order for a reader to identify who is being discussed.

solution

Look at the sentence.

According to law, foods that have been produced and processed according to certain government standards are allowed to bear the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Organic label.

That have been produced and processed according to certain government standards is not set off by commas. It is restrictive—it narrows down the identity of foods. So, the sentence suggests that only certain foods are allowed to bear the USDA Organic label.

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