Mastering Comma Usage: Editing Sentences

What change should be made to the sentence when editing for correct comma usage?

1. Kayla, who just graduated from high school, wants to attend the University of Houston.
2. No change necessary.
3. Kayla who just graduated from high school, wants to attend the University of Houston.
4. Kayla, who just graduated from high school wants to attend the University of Houston.

Answer:

Explanation:

Mastering Comma Usage in Sentences

Commas are vital punctuation marks to indicate pauses, separations, and boundaries within sentences. Correct comma usage not only enhances the clarity of your writing but also ensures that your intended meaning is conveyed accurately.

When editing sentences for correct comma usage, it's crucial to identify essential and nonessential information. Essential clauses are necessary to the meaning of the sentence, while nonessential clauses can be omitted without changing the core message. Nonessential clauses are typically set off by commas to distinguish them from essential clauses.

An example of correct comma usage in the given sentence, "Kayla, who just graduated from high school, wants to attend the University of Houston," highlights the importance of properly punctuating nonessential clauses. By adding commas before and after the clause "who just graduated from high school," the sentence becomes clear and grammatically correct.

Let's explore a few more examples to practice correct comma usage:

Example Sentences:

1. I finally found my keys, and I got to work just in time.
- Corrected by adding a comma before "and" for a clear separation of independent clauses.

2. Mrs. Contreras threw out her old coffee table and cleaned the carpet.
- The sentence is correctly punctuated since "and cleaned the carpet" is essential information.

3. Taking the elevator to the roof, we hoped we could see the skyline and the bay.
- Commas are placed correctly to indicate the nonessential participial phrase at the beginning of the sentence.

4. Though Susan wasn't feeling well, she went to the store anyway and bought ice cream, pizza, and candy.
- The commas are correctly utilized to set off the nonessential adverbial clause "Though Susan wasn't feeling well."

5. I let my neighbor borrow my phone because she said hers was tapped by the police.
- No comma is needed since the clause "because she said hers was tapped by the police" is essential to the cause-and-effect relationship in the sentence.

By practicing correct comma usage in sentences, you can enhance the readability and coherence of your writing. Remember to differentiate between essential and nonessential information to place commas accurately in your sentences.