Which sentence correctly uses a nonrestrictive phrase?

Which sentence correctly uses a nonrestrictive phrase?

• A. The movie which we watched last night was long.
• B. The movie, which we watched last night was long.
• C. The movie which we watched last night, was long.
• D. The movie, which we watched last night, was long.

Answer: (D)

A nonrestrictive clause adds extra information about a noun and does not change which noun is being talked about. It’s set off by commas, and when you use which for this kind of clause, you usually surround the entire clause with two commas.

In the sentence that uses a nonrestrictive clause correctly, the extra information “which we watched last night” describes the movie but isn’t needed to identify the movie itself. Removing it leaves a complete, clear statement: The movie was long. The clause is enclosed by two commas, signaling that this is additional detail.

The other options misplace or misuse the punctuation or use the word which in a way that suggests the clause is essential to identifying the movie. One lacks the closing comma around the clause, another has a comma after the clause that breaks the nonrestrictive structure, and the last combines a restrictive feel with an improper comma placement.

So, the sentence that properly sets off the extra information with two commas and uses “which” for a nonrestrictive detail is the one that correctly uses a nonrestrictive phrase.