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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

While adjusting the telescope during the meteor shower, the astronomer captured a series of sharp, breathtaking, photographs of the celestial event, and she immediately sent them to her colleagues for analysis.

Which of the following choices best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    sharp, breathtaking, photographs of the celestial event, and she
  2. sharp, breathtaking photographs of the celestial event, and sheAnswer
  3. C
    sharp, breathtaking photographs of the celestial event, she
  4. D
    sharp, breathtaking photographs; of the celestial event, she

Answer

sharp, breathtaking photographs of the celestial event, and she
The correct option correctly places a comma between the coordinate adjectives 'sharp' and 'breathtaking' without separating the final adjective from the noun 'photographs'. It also correctly uses a comma followed by the coordinating conjunction 'and' to join two independent clauses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the adjectives 'sharp' and 'breathtaking' are coordinate adjectives modifying 'photographs'.
They are coordinate adjectives because they can be reversed ('breathtaking, sharp photographs') and joined by 'and' ('sharp and breathtaking photographs'). Therefore, they require a comma between them, but no comma should separate the final adjective 'breathtaking' from the noun 'photographs'.
To apply the correct punctuation rules for coordinate adjectives.
2
Analyze the clause structure of the sentence around the underline.
The sentence consists of an introductory dependent clause followed by two independent clauses: 'the astronomer captured a series of photographs' and 'she immediately sent them to her colleagues'.
To identify the clause boundaries and determine appropriate punctuation and conjunctions.
3
Select the correct punctuation to join the two independent clauses.
Two independent clauses must be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (such as 'and'), or by a semicolon. The option using 'and' preceded by a comma is grammatically correct.
To avoid run-on sentences and comma splices.

Key Concept

Punctuation with coordinate adjectives and joining independent clauses.
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Topics

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

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