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Difficulty: HardCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

While analyzing the ancient clay tablets from the Mesopotamian ruins, the paleographer identified a series of faded, wedge-shaped cuneiform symbols, and she noted how the scribe had altered the layout.

Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. faded, wedge-shaped cuneiform symbols, and she notedAnswer
  2. B
    faded, wedge-shaped, cuneiform symbols, she noted
  3. C
    faded, wedge-shaped cuneiform symbols; because she noted
  4. D
    faded, wedge-shaped, cuneiform symbols and she noted

Answer

The correct option is the one that correctly places a comma between the coordinate adjectives 'faded' and 'wedge-shaped', omits a comma before the cumulative adjective 'cuneiform', and includes a comma before the coordinating conjunction 'and' to connect the two independent clauses.
The correct option correctly punctuates the coordinate adjectives 'faded' and 'wedge-shaped' with a comma, leaves the cumulative adjective 'cuneiform' unpunctuated, and separates the two independent clauses using a comma followed by the coordinating conjunction 'and'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the adjectives modifying 'symbols' are coordinate or cumulative.
The adjectives 'faded' and 'wedge-shaped' are coordinate because they can be reversed ('wedge-shaped, faded symbols') and joined by 'and' ('faded and wedge-shaped symbols'), requiring a comma. The adjective 'cuneiform' is cumulative because it cannot be reversed ('cuneiform, wedge-shaped symbols' is incorrect) or joined by 'and', so it does not take a comma.
Coordinate adjectives require separating commas, whereas cumulative adjectives do not.
2
Analyze the relationship between the two clauses to determine proper punctuation.
The sentence contains two independent clauses: 'the paleographer identified a series...' and 'she noted how the scribe...'. They are connected by the coordinating conjunction 'and'.
Connecting two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction requires a comma before the conjunction.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one matching these rules.
The option containing the comma between 'faded' and 'wedge-shaped', no comma before 'cuneiform', and a comma before 'and' is correct.
This choice avoids coordinate adjective errors, cumulative adjective errors, comma splices, and fragment errors.

Key Concept

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives
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Topics

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

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