Non-restrictive clauses, as the name suggests, provide additional, non-essential information. Removing a non-restrictive clause may make the sentence shorter, but the main meaning of the sentence would remain unchanged.

Applying the Concepts to the Given Sentence

Consider the sentence: “She shuddered slightly in the wind which gradually increased in strength.” The clause “which gradually increased in strength” is non-restrictive. Without this clause, the sentence would still convey a clear and complete idea: “She shuddered slightly in the wind.”

Here’s how to determine if a clause is non-restrictive:

Try deleting the clause. If the meaning of the sentence is not significantly altered (the main clause is still complete and sensible), then the clause is non-restrictive. In this case, “She shuddered slightly in the wind” remains a complete and sensible sentence after removing “which gradually increased in strength.”

Check the effect of the clause. The clause “which gradually increased in strength” provides additional information about the wind but does not change the core meaning of the sentence. It does not define the wind; it simply adds detail.

Consider the function of the relative pronoun. The use of “which” in this sentence identifies a characteristic of the already mentioned wind. This is indicative of a non-restrictive clause.

Example with Tense Change

To further enhance the sentence clarity, we can modify the verb tense from the Simple Past to the Progressive Past: “She shuddered slightly in the wind which was gradually increasing in strength.” The use of “was increasing” emphasizes the continuous process, aligning well with the adverb “gradually.”

Common Misunderstandings

There may be confusion with other interpretations, such as Phumkiat Wananuraksakuls’ view. They argue that without the comma, the sentence implies multiple winds, which is not a realistic scenario. By using a comma, the sentence clarifies that there is only one wind, and this non-restrictive clause provides additional information about its characteristic.

SEO Best Practices

For SEO purposes, it is crucial to ensure that commas are used correctly in your content. Proper use of punctuation enhances readability and ensures that search engines can easily understand the context of your sentences.

Here are a few SEO best practices related to comma usage:

Consistency. Use commas in a consistent manner to maintain a clear and logical flow of information.

Readability. Ensure that commas help break up long sentences into more digestible chunks for readers, which is also beneficial for SEO.

Compliance. Adhere to standard English grammar rules to avoid errors and penalties that could affect your website’s SEO ranking.

By correctly applying the rules of comma usage, you not only improve the readability and SEO value of your content but also ensure that it accurately conveys your intended meaning.