Proofreading for Comma Usage

Some of the following sentences contain comma errors with nonessential or essential elements. Select the answer option that has no comma errors; or, if the original sentence is correct, select No change. Remember that nonessential elements require commas but essential elements do not.Georges Méliès needing more time to tell a story started making movies, that were twelve to fourteen minutes long.

Georges Méliès, needing more time to tell a story, started making movies that were twelve to fourteen minutes long.

One of the sentences in each item may be missing a comma to separate independent clauses or may contain an unnecessary comma. Remember that a comma is not needed between verbs when a single subject performs two actions. Select the answer option that eliminates the error or, if the original sentence is correct, select No change.In military time, 7:15 A.M. becomes 0715 so what does 7:15 P.M. become?

Put a comma after 0715.

Some of the following sentences contain comma errors with nonessential or essential elements. Select the answer option that has no comma errors; or, if the original sentence is correct, select No change. Remember that nonessential elements require commas but essential elements do not.The Frenchman, Georges Méliès (1861-1938) came up with the idea of telling a story in a movie.

The Frenchman Georges Méliès (1861-1938) came up with the idea of telling a story in a movie.

Some of the following sentences contain a comma error. If a sentence has an error, select the answer option that corrects it. If the sentence is correct, select No change.James Agee wrote A Death in the Family, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957, and, Conrad Aiken won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1924.

James Agee wrote A Death in the Family, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957, and Conrad Aiken won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1924.

Some of the following sentences contain a comma error. If a sentence has an error, select the answer option that corrects it. If the sentence is correct, select No change.Frost's home at 29-35 Brewster Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is now on the National Historic Register; despite his well-known association with New England, he also bought a house in South Miami, Florida, and spent winters there late in his life.

No change

Some of the following sentences contain a comma error. If a sentence has an error, select the answer option that corrects it. If the sentence is correct, select No change.Many critics include James Agee, Conrad Aiken, Louisa May Alcott, and Nelson Algren on their lists of major American authors.

No change.

Some of the following sentences contain an introductory element that should be followed by a comma. Select the answer option that uses commas correctly. If both of the original sentences are correct, select No change.Once a puppy has had its immunizations, it can socialize with other dogs. In fact, puppies should get to know a variety of people as well.

No change.

One of the sentences in each item may be missing a comma to separate independent clauses or may contain an unnecessary comma. Remember that a comma is not needed between verbs when a single subject performs two actions. Select the answer option that eliminates the error or, if the original sentence is correct, select No change.To measure time, ancient people used water flowing through a hole in a bowl and medieval people used sand moving through an hourglass.

Put a comma between bowl and and.

One of the sentences in each item may be missing a comma to separate independent clauses or may contain an unnecessary comma. Remember that a comma is not needed between verbs when a single subject performs two actions. Select the answer option that eliminates the error or, if the original sentence is correct, select No change.In the twelve-hour system, does 12:00 A.M. mean that it is noon, or that it is midnight?

Remove the comma after noon.

Some of the following sentences do not use commas correctly for items in a series. If a sentence has an error, select the answer option that corrects the error. If the original sentence is correct, select No change.The World Series of baseball was a best-of-nine-games contest in 1903 (the first year of the World Series) 1920 and 1921.

The World Series of baseball was a best-of-nine games contest in 1903 (the first year of the World Series), 1920, and 1921.