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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

To complete the restoration project, the team needed a durable, lightweight, alloy, a specialized welding torch, and they needed several weeks of uninterrupted work.

Which choice is the best version of the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    durable, lightweight alloy, a specialized welding torch, they needed several weeks
  3. durable, lightweight alloy, a specialized welding torch, and several weeksAnswer
  4. D
    durable, lightweight alloy; a specialized welding torch, and several weeks

Answer

The correct choice is the one that correctly places a comma between the coordinate adjectives, avoids a comma between the adjective and the noun, and maintains parallel structure in the list of noun phrases.
The correct choice is the one that reads 'durable, lightweight alloy, a specialized welding torch, and several weeks'. First, it correctly places a comma between the coordinate adjectives 'durable' and 'lightweight' while avoiding a comma between the adjective 'lightweight' and the noun 'alloy'. Second, it maintains grammatical parallelism in the three-item list by connecting three noun phrases: 'a durable, lightweight alloy', 'a specialized welding torch', and 'several weeks of uninterrupted work'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the coordinate adjectives modifying the noun 'alloy'.
The adjectives 'durable' and 'lightweight' are coordinate because their order can be reversed ('lightweight, durable alloy') and they can be linked with 'and' ('durable and lightweight alloy'). Therefore, they require a comma between them, but no comma should separate the final adjective 'lightweight' from the noun 'alloy'.
To ensure correct punctuation of modifying words.
2
Examine the parallel structure of the items in the list.
The sentence lists three things the team needed: 'a... alloy', 'a... torch', and 'several weeks'. These should all be parallel noun phrases.
Maintaining consistent grammatical forms in a series is required for parallel structure.
3
Review the transition and punctuation between the list items.
The three items should be separated by commas with a coordinating conjunction ('and') before the final item, without introducing a new independent clause that would cause a comma splice or parallelism error.
To avoid run-on sentences, comma splices, or fragmented lists.

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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