GED Language Arts (RLA) : Commas

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GED Language Arts (RLA)

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Example Questions

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Example Question #51 : Language Usage And Grammar

Passage adapted from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower hunts employed the fine days, and for rainy ones, they had house diversions, some old, some new, all more or less original. One of these was the `P.C', for as secret societies were the fashion, it was thought proper to have one, and as all of the girls admired Dickens, they called herselves the Pickwick Club. With a few interruptions, they had kept this up for a year, and met every Saturday evening in the big garret, on which occasions the ceremonies were as follows: Three chairs were arranged in a row before a table on which was a lamp, also four white badges, with a big `P.C.' in different colors on each, and the weekly newspaper called, The Pickwick Portfolio, to which all contributed something, while Jo, who reveled in pens and ink, was the editor. At seven o'clock, the four members ascended to the clubroom, tied their badges round their heads, and took their seats with great solemnity. Meg, as the eldest, was Samuel Pickwick, Jo, being of a literary turn, Augustus Snodgrass, Beth, because she were round and rosy, Tracy Tupman, and Amy, who was always trying to do what she couldn't, was Nathaniel Winkle. Pickwick the president, read the paper, which was filled with original tales, poetry, local news, funny advertisements, and hints, in which they good-naturedly reminded each other of their faults and short comings. On one occasion, Mr. Pickwick put on a pair of spectacles without any glass, rapped upon the table, hemmed, and having stared hard at Mr. Snodgrass, who was tilting back in his chair, till he arranged himself properly, began to read:

Correct the bolded and underlined section of the passage.

Possible Answers:

Pickwick: the president, read the paper

Pickwick, the president, read the paper

Pickwick, the president read the paper

Pickwick the president read the paper

(no change)

Correct answer:

Pickwick, the president, read the paper

Explanation:

Commas are used to separate nonessential words or clauses. "The president" is considered nonessential. It is important information but it is non essential for the sentence to be considered a complete sentence.  

Example Question #51 : Language Usage And Grammar

Passage adapted from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower hunts employed the fine days, and for rainy ones, they had house diversions, some old, some new, all more or less original. One of these was the `P.C', for as secret societies were the fashion, it was thought proper to have one, and as all of the girls admired Dickens, they called themselves the Pickwick Club. With a few interruptions, they had kept this up for a year, and met every Saturday evening in the big garret, on which occasions the ceremonies were as follows: Three chairs were arranged in a row before a table on which was a lamp, also four white badges, with a big `P.C.' in different colors on each, and the weekly newspaper called, The Pickwick Portfolio, to which all contributed something, while Jo, who reveled in pens and ink, was the editor. At seven o'clock, the four members ascended to the clubroom, tied their badges round their heads, and took their seats with great solemnity. Meg, as the eldest, was Samuel Pickwick, Jo, being of a literary turn, Augustus Snodgrass, Beth, because she was round and rosy, Tracy Tupman, and Amy, who was always trying to do what she couldn't, was Nathaniel Winkle. Pickwick, the president, read the paper, which was filled with original tales, poetry, local news, funny advertisements, and hints, in which they good-naturedly reminded each other of their faults and short comings. On one occasion, Mr. Pickwick put on a pair of spectacles without any glass, rapped upon the table, hemmed, and having stared hard at Mr. Snodgrass, who was tilting back in his chair, till he arranged himself properly, began to read:

Why is a comma needed after the word "interruptions" in the bolded and underlined section?

Possible Answers:

It is an introductory clause

None of these

It is the start of a comma sandwich

It is a logical point for a breath

There shouldn't be a comma there

Correct answer:

It is an introductory clause

Explanation:

With few interruptions is considered an introductory clause. It is not necessary to make the sentence complete making it nonessential information and therefore requires a comma after it. 

Example Question #11 : Commas

Nina was wondering if, after the doctor’s appointment, she will have time to stop by the design studio?

Possible Answers:

appointment, she will have time to stop by the farmers market.

(no change)

appointment, she will have time: to stop by the farmers market?

appointment: will she have time to stop by the farmers market?

appointment she will have time to stop by the farmers market?

Correct answer:

appointment, she will have time to stop by the farmers market.

Explanation:

Here, the sentence is providing declarative information about Nina (“she is wondering”)  and not actually asking a question (“is she wondering?”). Even though the sentence is expressing uncertainty, it is not an interrogative sentence and therefore should not have a question mark. Because “after the doctor’s appointment is a parenthetical clause, it needs a comma both before and after it. Adding a period to the end of this sentence is therefore the only necessary change.

Example Question #11 : Commas

Being an excellent swimmer Alicia was often frustrated with her teammates’ sloppy strokes and haphazard diving technique.

Possible Answers:

(no change)

Being an excellent swimmer, Alicia, was often frustrated with her teammates’ sloppy strokes and haphazard diving technique.

Being an excellent swimmer Alicia was often frustrated with her teammates’ sloppy strokes, and haphazard diving technique.

Being an excellent swimmer, Alicia was often frustrated with her teammates’ sloppy strokes and haphazard diving technique.

Being an excellent swimmer — Alicia was often frustrated — with her teammates’ sloppy strokes and haphazard diving technique.

Correct answer:

Being an excellent swimmer, Alicia was often frustrated with her teammates’ sloppy strokes and haphazard diving technique.

Explanation:

“Being an excellent swimmer” is an introductory clause and a modifier that describes “Alicia,” so a comma is needed to separate the two. Because the conjunction “and” is not separating two independent clauses, no comma is necessary there. (Note also the correct use of the plural possessive with “teammates’.”)

Example Question #12 : Commas

Aidan, Jack, and their aunt, Maria, spent nearly half an hour trying to find their car in the parking lot.

Possible Answers:

Aidan, Jack and their aunt Maria,

Aidan, Jack, and their aunt, Maria;

None of these other choices

Aidan, Jack, and their aunt Maria,

(no change)

Correct answer:

(no change)

Explanation:

Here, the list of people is punctuated correctly. There should be a comma between each person on the list and an additional comma on either side of “Maria,” as that’s a modifier for “their aunt.” In other words, no changes are necessary.

Example Question #13 : Commas

Although I enjoy gardening with you I have to work on my dissertation instead.

Possible Answers:

Although I enjoy gardening with you, I have to work on my dissertation instead.

Although I enjoy gardening with you; I have to work on my dissertation, instead.

Although I enjoy gardening with you I have to work on my dissertation, instead.

Although I enjoy gardening with you, I have to work on my dissertation, instead.

(no change)

Correct answer:

Although I enjoy gardening with you, I have to work on my dissertation instead.

Explanation:

“Although I enjoy gardening with you” is a dependent clause, which means that it must be separated from the independent clause (“I have to work on my dissertation instead”) with a comma. A semicolon is generally only used to separate two independent clauses. No comma is needed between “dissertation” and “instead,” either.

Example Question #14 : Commas

Wherever he goes, Todd can’t seem to find a partner, who will make him truly happy.

Possible Answers:

Wherever he goes, Todd, can’t seem to find a partner who will make him truly happy.

Wherever he goes Todd can’t seem to find a partner who will make him truly happy.

(no change)

Wherever he goes Todd can’t seem to find a partner; who will make him truly happy.

Wherever he goes, Todd can’t seem to find a partner who will make him truly happy.

Correct answer:

Wherever he goes, Todd can’t seem to find a partner who will make him truly happy.

Explanation:

“Wherever he goes” is a dependent clause, so it must be separated from the independent clause (“Todd can’t seem to find a partner who will make him truly happy”). However, no comma is necessary between “partner” and “who” because “who will make him truly happy” is an integral part of the independent clause. In other words, Todd may be able to find a partner anywhere he goes; he just can’t find one to make him happy.

Example Question #61 : Language Usage And Grammar

By the end of the movie, it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting, indeed, she complained about it all the way home.

Possible Answers:

(no change)

By the end of the movie it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting, indeed

By the end of the movie, it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting; indeed,

By the end of the movie, it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting; indeed

By the end of the movie it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting; indeed,

Correct answer:

By the end of the movie, it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting; indeed,

Explanation:

Here, “By the end of the movie” is an introductory phrase, so it must be followed by a comma. Additionally, since “By the end of the movie, it was clear that Liliana had not enjoyed the acting” and “she complained about it all the way home” are both independent clauses, they must be separated by a semicolon and not a comma. Finally, “indeed” is an introductory clause for the second half of the sentence, so the word requires a comma after it.

Example Question #65 : Language Usage And Grammar

Passage adapted from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

In England there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting. Daring burglaries by armed men, and highway robberies, took place in the capital itself every night; families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security; the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the light, and, being recognised and challenged by his fellow-tradesman whom he stopped in his character of "the Captain," gallantly shot him through the head and rode away; the mail was waylaid by seven robbers, and the guard shot three dead, and then got shot dead himself by the other four, "in consequence of the failure of his ammunition:" after which the mail was robbed in peace; that magnificent potentate, the Lord Mayor of London, was made to stand and deliver on Turnham Green, by one highwayman, who despoiled the illustrious creature in sight of all his retinue; prisoners in London gaols fought battles with their turnkeys, and the majesty of the law fired blunderbusses in among them, loaded with rounds of shot and ball; thieves snipped off diamond crosses from the necks of noble lords at Court drawing-rooms; musketeers went into St. Giles's, to search for contraband goods, and the mob fired on the musketeers, and the musketeers fired on the mob, and nobody thought any of these occurrences much out of the common way. In the midst of them, the hangman, ever busy and ever worse than useless, was in constant requisition; now, stringing up long rows of miscellaneous criminals; now, hanging a housebreaker on Saturday who had been taken on Tuesday; now, burning people in the hand at Newgate by the dozen, and now burning pamphlets at the door of Westminster Hall; to-day, taking the life of an atrocious murderer, and to-morrow of a wretched pilferer who had robbed a farmer's boy of sixpence.

Correct the bolded and underlined sentence.

Possible Answers:

In England, there was scarcely an amount of order, and protection to justify much national boasting.

In England, there was scarcely an amount of order, and, protection to justify much national boasting.

In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and, protection to justify much national boasting.

In England there was scarcely an amount of order, and protection to justify much national boasting.

In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting.

Correct answer:

In England, there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify much national boasting.

Explanation:

A comma is necessary in and introductory clause but not necessary with a conjunction when a dependent clause is being joined to a main clause, as is the case here. The first part of the sentence, "In England," is an introductory clause, so it needs a comma after it. The part of the sentence before the "and" is an independent clause and because the second part is not an independent clause there is no need for a comma with the "and."

Example Question #61 : Language Usage And Grammar

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul that was, in part, solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process, an agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent. The creation of the Bologna Process has not only improved the standard of education in EU nations, but set a very high bar for nations hoping to join the EU to hurdle. Belarus has already applied and been rejected due to concerns about its academic commitment. So we can see that quality education in Europe is not simply a lucky coincidence, or the natural result of a long history of scholars, but an intentional reform initiative upon which major political decisions, such as the inclusion of countries into the European Union, are made. Eastern European countries also had an especially difficult time transitioning to the new standards required of Bologna Process signatories since they were coming from the Soviet tradition of severely underfunded public schools and widespread bribery as a main criterion for university admission. The Soviet influence on the current state of tertiary education can clearly be seen by comparing eastern and western Germany. Before the implementation of the Bologna Process and formation of the European Higher Education Area, many European countries modeled their higher education system on Germany's, which separated students into academic or vocational training schools from the beginning of high school. This model fit with the Communist rationale of all jobs being of equal value, and the obligation of adolescents to train for the job for which they were best suited in society rather than allowing them to choose a major at the university level.

Which version of this sentence is most grammatically correct?

Possible Answers:

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul which was -- in part -- solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process; an agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul; which was, in part, solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process -- an agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul, which was, in part, solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process, an agreement, among European countries, to improve consistency, and quality in higher education across the continent.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul that was in part solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process, which was an agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union. The European education system underwent an overhaul which was, in part, solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process. An agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent.

Correct answer:

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the European education system underwent an overhaul that was in part solidified with the creation of the Bologna Process, which was an agreement among European countries to improve consistency and quality in higher education across the continent.

Explanation:

This is a complex sentence that needs punctuation in order to prevent it from becoming a run-on sentence. Only the correct answer choice provides punctuation that is sufficient and used correctly.

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