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Difficulty: MediumCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

Consider the underlined portion in the sentence below:

While examining ice core samples from the Antarctic sheet, paleoclimatologists measured dense, ancient ice layers, analyzed trapped dust particles, and recorded atmospheric temperature fluctuations over the last century.

Which choice best maintains standard written English conventions for the underlined portion?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    dense, ancient, ice layers; analyzed trapped dust particles; and recorded
  3. C
    dense, ancient ice layers, they analyzed trapped dust particles, and recorded
  4. D
    dense, ancient ice layers, analyzed trapped dust particles and recording

Answer

dense, ancient ice layers, analyzed trapped dust particles, and recorded
The original text correctly places a comma between the coordinate adjectives 'dense' and 'ancient' because both independently modify 'ice layers'. Additionally, it correctly separates the three parallel past-tense verbs ('measured', 'analyzed', 'recorded') with commas, maintaining proper list punctuation and parallel structure.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze coordinate adjectives modifying 'ice layers'.
The adjectives 'dense' and 'ancient' can be joined by 'and' ('dense and ancient ice layers') and their order can be reversed ('ancient, dense ice layers'), confirming they are coordinate adjectives that require a separating comma.
Coordinate adjectives modifying the same noun must be separated by a comma, but no comma should separate the final adjective from the noun.
2
Evaluate the structure of the series of actions.
The subject 'paleoclimatologists' performs three parallel actions: 'measured...', 'analyzed...', and 'recorded...'.
Items in a series of three or more actions must be separated by commas and maintain parallel grammatical form.
3
Select the choice that correctly implements comma rules for coordinate adjectives and serial lists.
The option stating 'NO CHANGE' correctly uses 'dense, ancient ice layers, analyzed trapped dust particles, and recorded'.
This option correctly places a comma between coordinate adjectives, avoids placing a comma between the adjective and noun, and maintains a parallel series of past-tense verbs separated by commas.

Key Concept

Commas with Coordinate Adjectives and Lists
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Topics

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

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