Unable to decide which color to paint the walls (turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming), the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

These are the elements in a sentence that are unessential to the sentence’s core meaning.

A semicolon should be used instead of a comma to join the two independent clauses.

Unable to decide which color to paint the walls (turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming), the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

The extra information provided within the parenthesis are not necessary to the basic meaning of the sentence - they simply provide more detail. As such, punctuation is necessary to indicate the nonessential information. Note that a comma is necessary after the closing parenthesis, as the introductory clause (which in this case happens to include a parenthetical expression) must be followed by a comma before the independent clause that follows it.

No change

Unable to decide which color to paint the walls, turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming, the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

The sentence is incorrect because it lacks clear separation between the main clause and the non-essential clause. The phrase "turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming" is a non-essential clause because it provides additional information about the colors without being essential to the main meaning of the sentence. However, it’s structured as if it’s part of the main clause, leading to confusion. Additionally, there’s a lack of punctuation to set off the non-essential clause properly.

walls, turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming, the

Unable to decide which color to paint the walls, turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming - the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

The sentence you provided is incorrect because it improperly uses a non-essential clause. A non-essential clause provides additional information about a noun but can be removed from the sentence without changing its core meaning. However, in your example, the clause "turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming" is essential to the meaning of the sentence. It specifies the reasons why the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

walls, turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming - the

Unable to decide which color to paint the walls (turquoise was so calming. but ocher so warming) the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

Non-essential or parenthetical clauses provide additional, non-essential information about the main clause, but they do not alter the essential meaning of the sentence. In this case, the clause within the parentheses restricts the meaning of the sentence because it provides essential information about the client’s decision-making process regarding the color of the walls.

walls (turquoise was so calming. but ocher so warming) the

Correct sentence

Unable to decide which color to paint the walls (turquoise was so calming, but ocher so warming), the client instructed the interior decorator to flip a coin.

Option

A

Can you summarize what you’ve understood in the above steps?