SAT Writing : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas for Dependent Clauses
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Example Question #301 : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
Even with a combination of whiskey, opium, and assistants early amputations were grisly, excruciating procedures that often resulted in infection and death. No error
assistants
that often resulted in
grisly
No error
whiskey,
assistants
Here, “Even with a combination of whiskey, opium, and assistants” is a dependent clause that depends upon the rest of the sentence (“early amputations were grisly, excruciating procedures that often resulted in infection and death”) for its meaning, so it should be separated from that independent clause with a comma after “assistants.”
Example Question #302 : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
Ever since Joachim quit his last job he has been free to pursue his solo jazz career, and he has actually become quite skilled at improvisation. No error
pursue
quite skilled
No error
career,
Ever since Joachim quit his last job
Ever since Joachim quit his last job
“Ever since Joachim quit his last job” is a dependent clause, so it should be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma. There is also a comma after “career,” as we’re separating two independent clauses with a conjunction (“and”) and therefore we need a comma before that conjunction.
Example Question #303 : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
“Above all you must remember to conjugate the verbs correctly on tomorrow’s test,” the French teacher said. No error
No error
test,”
tomorrow’s
Above all
the verbs
Above all
Here, “Above all” is an introductory phrase and a dependent clause, so it must be followed by a comma. The direct speech is correctly punctuated in the original sentence.
Example Question #301 : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly, when summer vacation arrived once again. No error
student body
No error
wildly, when
arrived once
loudly and
wildly, when
The comma used between "wildly" and "when" is extraneous and creates a grammatical error in this sentence. No comma is needed to separate the subordinate clause "when summer vacation arrived once again" from the independent clause "The student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly." Note that if the order of these clauses were reversed and the sentence began with the subordinate clause, a comma would be needed after "again": "When summer vacation arrived once again, the student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly"; however, since the subordinate clause follows the independent clause in the sentence as it is given, no comma is needed.
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