Choose the sentence that correctly employs a restrictive relative clause without unnecessary commas:

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. The laboratory samples that tested positive for microbial contamination were placed in quarantine.

  1. Step 1: A restrictive relative clause provides essential information that identifies which specific items are being discussed.
  2. Step 2: Restrictive clauses typically use 'that' and are never enclosed by commas.
  3. Step 3: Enclosing 'that tested positive...' with commas is a punctuation error.
Answer
The laboratory samples that tested positive for microbial contamination were placed in quarantine.
Why not the others: 'The laboratory samples, that tested positive for microbial contamination, were placed in quarantine' incorrectly surrounds a restrictive 'that' clause with commas; 'The laboratory samples which tested positive, for microbial contamination were placed in quarantine' splits the prepositional phrase with an errant comma; 'The laboratory samples, which tested positive for microbial contamination were placed, in quarantine' has unmatched and misplaced commas.

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