Commas or no commas in this sentence

[Todd's keyboard]

It seems to me that both versions are correct. What say you?

A. Can you think of any other popular laws that are or were broken by people?

B. Can you think of any other popular laws that are, or were, broken by people?

I confess that the move to Canada has gotten me more confused about commas. There seems to be just enough difference between British and US use (with Canada in the middle), that I get more flummoxed than normal. Inside punctuation? Outside punctuation? Is it raining?

thanks, Todd,',s key, board,

[Fritz]

commas.

what? no poll?

[mattkime]

I'd go without commas. For reference - I'm about 400 miles from the norther border. Reason - add commas as they clarify, too many feels a little halting.

[Todd's keyboard]

Ooh, I originally set this up as a poll and the deleted the poll.

Hoping people was eloquent for their positions.

[Tiangou]

No commas in print under most circumstances.

But if you were trying to indicate a place to pause while speaking, then you might use commas or em-dashes:

"Can you think of any other popular laws that are -- or were -- broken by people?" she asked, pausing dramatically and then putting great emphasis on the word "were."

[Don C]

My inclination is to use one comma, "that are, " but I worry that Barbara Garst, my high school senior English teacher might haunt me for advocating too strongly and being quite wrong.

[Todd's keyboard]

Personally, I—after years of experience—would use em dashes, as well. However, this is a grammar question on a student's assignment.

thanks, T's kb

[Dennis S]

I think anything that’s been discussed would be okay.

[August West]

Grammatically, either is correct. The choice on using or not depends on the nuance of meaning that you wish to make. How much emphasis on the "or were" is warranted?

[RgrF]

It's too short a sentence to be broken up with commas, that and commas don't add to subject flow or comprehension.