Your Copy Editor Wants You to Ask Yourself, "Is This Necessary?"

TGIF!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful week! I know this week has definitely been a great one for me. I actually took a few days off to spend playing with my kids—ALWAYS time well-spent. 

I am working on compiling a list of style guide comparisons in between teaching and copy editing. Until I get the list compiled though, let me give you another comma point to ponder. =)

First, let’s talk about the difference between a restrictive clause and a non-restrictive clause. A restrictive clause adds information to the sentence that is imperative to its meaning. In other words, if you remove the restrictive clause, it will change the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

1. The proofreaders were responsible for catching the errors that the copy editors overlooked.

If you remove “that the copy editors overlooked” from this sentence, it changes the meaning of the sentence.

Now, a non-restrictive clause is non-essential information that is added to the sentence. In other words, if you remove the non-restrictive clause, the meaning of the sentence will not be changed.

For example:

1. The unedited technical document, which was written by the engineer, was lengthy and disorganized.

Here, if you remove “which was written by the engineer” from the sentence, it does not change the meaning of the sentence. 

What does all of this have to do with commas? Glad you asked. This is a VERY common error I find when proofreading or copy editing. Restrictive clauses are never set off from the rest of the sentence by commas and they usually begin with that, who, whose, or whom. The non-restrictive clauses are always set off from the rest of the sentence by commas and they usually begin with which, who, whose, or whom.

I find that many writers confuse that and which quite often. So in your writing, ask yourself “Is this information necessary to the meaning of the sentence?” If your answer is “yes,” then you will use that without commas. If your answer is “no,” then the correct usage is which with commas separating the clause from the rest of the sentence.

And if you STILL have questions, ask your copy editor. =) Make sure you don't miss any posts, and click "Follow Laura's Proofs" at the right-hand side over there! And right now, the first person to get 15 of their friends and family to "follow" my blog will win 2 FREE hours of proofreading or copy editing! Make sure your friends e-mail me at laurasproofs@gmail.com to tell me you sent them! =)

Until tomorrow,

Mind your Ps and Qs!

Your copy editor,

Laura

P.S. I am still taking submissions for my book of unique words and phrases. I would like to have some from all corners of the globe!