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Lists, fronted adverbials and parenthesis. Every comma doing a job, not marking a breath.
Question 1 of 12
Which sentence uses commas correctly?
"The path, which had flooded overnight, was closed." is correct. The relative clause is extra information, so it is fenced off with a comma at each end. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
The answer is A. "The path, which had flooded overnight, was closed." is correct. The relative clause is extra information, so it is fenced off with a comma at each end. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
"In the end, nobody minded the rain." is correct. A short fronted adverbial still takes a comma after it. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
The answer is C. "In the end, nobody minded the rain." is correct. A short fronted adverbial still takes a comma after it. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
"Yes, I have finished my homework." is correct. A single-word opener like "Yes" or "However" is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. If the sentence starts with a phrase or clause that could be moved to the end, put a comma after it.
The answer is C. "Yes, I have finished my homework." is correct. A single-word opener like "Yes" or "However" is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. If the sentence starts with a phrase or clause that could be moved to the end, put a comma after it.
"After a long and very wet walk, we stopped at a tea room." is correct. "After a long and very wet walk" is a fronted adverbial — it tells you when — and a fronted adverbial is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
The answer is D. "After a long and very wet walk, we stopped at a tea room." is correct. "After a long and very wet walk" is a fronted adverbial — it tells you when — and a fronted adverbial is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
"My brother, who lives in Truro, is coming at the weekend." is correct. "who lives in Truro" is extra information dropped into the middle, so it needs a comma at both ends. One comma is never enough for a parenthesis. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
The answer is C. "My brother, who lives in Truro, is coming at the weekend." is correct. "who lives in Truro" is extra information dropped into the middle, so it needs a comma at both ends. One comma is never enough for a parenthesis. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
"Slowly and very carefully, Omar lifted the lid." is correct. The sentence opens with an adverbial phrase, so a comma marks where it ends and the main clause starts. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Extra information in the middle of a sentence needs a comma at both ends, never just one.
The answer is C. "Slowly and very carefully, Omar lifted the lid." is correct. The sentence opens with an adverbial phrase, so a comma marks where it ends and the main clause starts. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Extra information in the middle of a sentence needs a comma at both ends, never just one.
"Priya, please close the window." is correct. When someone is spoken to by name, the name is separated off with a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. If the sentence starts with a phrase or clause that could be moved to the end, put a comma after it.
The answer is B. "Priya, please close the window." is correct. When someone is spoken to by name, the name is separated off with a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. If the sentence starts with a phrase or clause that could be moved to the end, put a comma after it.
"On the last day of term, the whole school walked to the beach." is correct. A fronted adverbial of time is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
The answer is A. "On the last day of term, the whole school walked to the beach." is correct. A fronted adverbial of time is followed by a comma. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
"If the river rises any further, the path will flood." is correct. The sentence begins with a subordinate clause, so a comma shows where the main clause begins. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
The answer is A. "If the river rises any further, the path will flood." is correct. The sentence begins with a subordinate clause, so a comma shows where the main clause begins. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
"The hall was cold, damp and almost entirely dark." is correct. A list of adjectives takes commas between them, with "and" before the last. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
The answer is B. "The hall was cold, damp and almost entirely dark." is correct. A list of adjectives takes commas between them, with "and" before the last. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. Cover the part between the commas. If what is left still makes a whole sentence, the commas are right.
"Before we set off, Dad checked the tyres." is correct. The sentence opens with a subordinate clause, so a comma shows where it ends. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
The answer is A. "Before we set off, Dad checked the tyres." is correct. The sentence opens with a subordinate clause, so a comma shows where it ends. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
"Although it was freezing, nobody wanted to go home." is correct. The subordinate clause comes first, so a comma marks where the main clause begins. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
The answer is D. "Although it was freezing, nobody wanted to go home." is correct. The subordinate clause comes first, so a comma marks where the main clause begins. Commas are not sprinkled where a reader might pause for breath; each one is doing a specific job, and the ones in the wrong answers are placed where no job exists. A comma dropped in for a pause is nearly always wrong. Ask what job it is doing.
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