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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

During the late Renaissance, cartographers produced vibrant, detailed maps cataloged navigational routes, and tracked magnetic compass variations to aid transatlantic voyages.

Which choice produces a grammatically correct sentence that conforms to the conventions of standard written English?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    vibrant detailed maps, cataloged navigational routes, and tracked magnetic compass variations
  3. vibrant, detailed maps, cataloged navigational routes, and tracked magnetic compass variationsAnswer
  4. D
    vibrant, detailed, maps, cataloged navigational routes, and tracked magnetic compass variations

Answer

The correct phrasing inserts a comma between the coordinate adjectives 'vibrant' and 'detailed' and separates all three parallel verb phrases with commas, including after 'maps'.
The adjectives 'vibrant' and 'detailed' independently modify 'maps' and can be connected with 'and' or reversed in order, so a comma is required between them. Furthermore, the sentence features a list of three parallel predicate phrases ('produced...', 'cataloged...', and 'tracked...'), which must be separated by commas, including a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'and'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the adjectives modifying 'maps' are coordinate or cumulative
The adjectives 'vibrant' and 'detailed' can be joined by 'and' ('vibrant and detailed maps') and their order reversed without changing meaning, making them coordinate adjectives.
Coordinate adjectives require a comma between them, but no comma should separate the final adjective from the noun ('detailed maps').
2
Analyze the sentence structure for parallel items in a list
The subject 'cartographers' completes three parallel actions: 'produced vibrant, detailed maps', 'cataloged navigational routes', and 'tracked magnetic compass variations'.
When a sentence contains a series of three or more parallel predicates, each item must be separated by a comma, including an Oxford comma before the final coordinating conjunction 'and'.
3
Combine coordinate adjective punctuation with list punctuation rules
The correct segment is 'vibrant, detailed maps, cataloged navigational routes, and tracked magnetic compass variations'.
This maintains appropriate punctuation between coordinate adjectives and properly separates all three list elements.

Key Concept

Commas with Lists and Coordinate Adjectives
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

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