The following sentence contains an underlined portion. Choose the option that best maintains standard written English conventions:
Although ambient noise in urban environments often disrupts wildlife communication, migratory songbirds produce louder, higher-pitched calls, and they alter their singing schedules during morning traffic hours.
Which choice produces the most grammatically correct sentence?
- NO CHANGEAnswer
- Blouder higher-pitched calls, and they alter
- Clouder, higher-pitched calls and they alter
- Dlouder, higher-pitched calls; and they alter
Answer
The original sentence ('NO CHANGE') is correct because it properly uses a comma between coordinate adjectives and places a comma before the coordinating conjunction joining two independent clauses.
The original phrasing correctly applies punctuation rules for both coordinate adjectives and clause boundary coordination. The adjectives 'louder' and 'higher-pitched' modify 'calls' independently, requiring a separating comma. Additionally, a comma is correctly placed before 'and' because it joins two independent clauses ('migratory songbirds produce...' and 'they alter...').
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Commas with Coordinate Adjectives and Independent Clauses
Estimated Time:45s