SAT Writing : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
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Example Questions
Example Question #5 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas For Dependent Clauses
Select the underlined word or words that need to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may not contain an error.
Here’s the situation: your dog isn’t properly trained to be around children, adults or other animals. No error
No error
adults
Your
situation:
children,
adults
Because “Here’s the situation” is an independent clause introducing another independent clause, a colon is the correct punctuation mark to use to separate them. A comma is required after “adults,” though, since it’s an item in a list.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas For Dependent Clauses
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jane wanted to go parasailing over vacation but then, a fierce storm rolled in and flooded the harbor. No error
over
wanted to
vacation but then, a
and
No error
vacation but then, a
The placement of the comma in this sentence between "then" and "a" is incorrect. The comma should instead appear between "vacation" and "but" in order to correctly connect the compound sentence's two independent clauses using a comma followed by a conjunction.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas For Dependent Clauses
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The crowd jumped out of their seats and cheered loudly, when the home team scored the game-winning shot at the buzzer. No error.
out of
at
loudly, when
game-winning
No error
loudly, when
The comma between "loudly" and "when" is unnecessary, creating and punctuation error in the sentence.
Example Question #4 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas For Dependent Clauses
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Although Danny was not the best swimmer his friends always said he threw the best pool parties. No error.
threw
swimmer his
always said
No error
Although
swimmer his
The sentence requires a comma after "swimmer" in order to correctly join its dependent and independent clauses ("Although Danny was not the best swimmer" and "his friends always said he threw the best pool parties").
Example Question #5 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas For Dependent Clauses
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
While I don't agree with your opinion about how life on Earth began I do respect your right to believe it. No error.
While
began I
No error
your right
about
began I
The sentence consists of two separate clauses ("While I don't agree with your opinion about how life on Earth began" and "I do respect your right to believe it"); therefore, the sentence requires a comma after "began" to properly separate the clauses.
Example Question #291 : 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.
Although she studied diligently for her chemistry final exam, there was still fear and doubt in Amy's mind as she walked into the room. No error
as she walked
final exam,
diligently
Although
No error
No error
There is no error in this sentence. "Although" is a subordinate conjunction correctly linking an independent clause to a dependent one, "diligently" is an adverb correctly modifying a verb (studied), and "as she walked" correctly indicates an action that occurs simultaneously (to her fear and doubt).
Example Question #292 : 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.
Our friend, before calling the police, ensured that everyone at the scene of the accident was calm and unhurt. No error
friend,
calm and
ensured
police,
No error
No error
Here, “before calling the police” is an interrupting or parenthetical (dependent) clause and can be removed from the sentence without making a sentence fragment. For this reason, it has to be set apart by commas. No comma is needed before the conjunction (“and”), since it is not breaking up two independent clauses. The sentence is correct as written.
Example Question #293 : 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.
The marketing team spent all month designing an advertising campaign, but in the end, the company chose a different and poorly conceived approach that the boss’s son had created on a whim. No error
boss’s
No error
but
end,
chose a different and poorly conceived
but
Since “the marketing team spent all month coming up with an advertising campaign” and “the company chose a different and poorly conceived approach that the boss’s son had created on a whim” are independent clauses (i.e., complete sentences on their own), a comma must be used before the conjunction (“but”) that joins these two independent clauses. “In the end” is a parenthetical or dependent clause, so it must be separated from the rest of the sentence with commas on both sides (before “but” and before “end”).
Example Question #293 : 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.
Harry Houdini who was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, was famous for his death-defying stunts and his unbelievable escape acts. No error
No error
Austria-Hungary,
Budapest,
Harry Houdini
stunts and
Harry Houdini
Here, “Budapest, Austria-Hungary,” is a dependent clause that modifies or describes Houdini, so a comma is needed both before and after the clause. Because dependent clauses contain non-essential information (they can be removed and still leave a complete sentence), they must always be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Remember, too, that commas are always used between the name of a city and the name of its state or country, as in “Budapest, Austria-Hungary.”
Example Question #295 : 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.
The racehorse, whose owners were disinterested socialites was beloved by jockeys and trainers alike for its sweet temper. No error
racehorse,
its
disinterested socialites
whose
No error
disinterested socialites
In this sentence, “whose owners were disinterested socialites” is a dependent clause describing the racehorse. As with all dependent clauses, this one can be removed and still leave a grammatically complete sentence, so it must be set apart with commas on both sides.
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