SAT Writing › Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas for Introductory or Interrupting Phrases
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Finally the teacher returned our papers, and despite our initial worries, we discovered all of us had received passing marks. No error
Finally the teacher
all of us
worries, we
No error
Despite
Here, "finally" is considered an introductory word, so it must be followed by a comma: "Finally, the teacher . . ."
Select the underlined portion of the sentence below that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
While I was out walking my dog it started to rain so hard I couldn't see. No error
dog it
While
to rain so hard
see.
No error
The sentence above contains a dependent clause (a clause that cannot stand on its own as a complete grammatical sentence). Dependent clauses must be separated from the rest of the sentence, often using commas. This clause is also an introductory clause, and thus must be separated from the main clause with a comma after "dog." The best way to correct the sentence above is "While I was out walking my dog, it started to rain so hard I couldn't see."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Cheese, my favorite food is the main reason I can never become a vegan. No error
food is
No error
Cheese, my
main reason
can
Here, the phrase "my favorite food" is being used as an interrupting phrase, therefore it must be separated from the rest of the sentence with commas. "Cheese," the subject of the sentence, must be connected to the primary verb "is," so the interrupting phrase must be enclosed with commas, one on either end.
The full, correct version of the sentence reads: "Cheese, my favorite food, is the main reason I can never become a vegan."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
If you wanted to be absolutely certain that there were no mistakes you should have overseen the details of the project yourself. No error
no mistakes you
yourself
No error
should have overseen
If you wanted
"If you wanted to be absolutely certain that there were no mistakes" is an introductory phrase, and therefore it must be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma. The corrected sentence would read: "If you wanted to be absolutely certain that there were no mistakes, you should have overseen the details of the project yourself."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Drums in one form or another, are used in nearly every kind of regional music on the planet. No error
Drums in
another, are
No error
nearly
on
Here, "in one form or another" is being used as an interrupting phrase in the sentence, therefore, it should be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. The relevant grammatical structure of the sentence has "drums" (the subject) being used (the verb here is "are"). The additional phrase "in one form or another" interrupts the flow of the sentence to modify the universality of the statement.
The full, correct version of this sentence reads: "Drums, in one form or another, are used in nearly every kind of regional music on the planet."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Patton a man known for his pugnacious character, was highly regarded for his generalship. No error
Patton a man
his
no error
was highly regarded
generalship
In this sentence, the phrase "a man known for his pugnacious character" is acting as an interrupting phrase. An interrupting phrase is a group of words which interrupts the flow of the sentence; interrupting phrases need to be separated from the rest of the sentence with commas (or dashes). In this case commas are needed after "Patton," and after "character."
The full, correct version of this sentence reads: "Patton, a man known for his pugnacious character, was renowned for his generalship."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Just as the students had feared their teacher presented them with a pop-quiz to make sure they had completed last night's reading assignment. No error
feared their teacher
No error
Just as the students
pop-quiz to
last night's reading
An introductory phrase must always be followed by a comma. In this sentence, the phrase "Just as the students had feared" acts as an introductory phrase, so it must be followed by a comma.
Select the underlined portion of the sentence below that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
After the rain stopped entirely I finally managed to get all of my groceries in. No error
entirely I
After the rain
managed
all
No error
The sentence above contains a dependent introductory clause. Such clauses must be separated from the rest of the sentence. The best way to correct the sentence above is "After the rain stopped entirely, I finally managed to get all of my groceries in."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The science museum, one of my favorite places in the city was closed for repairs. No error
in the city was
repairs
museum, one
my
No error
Here, "one of my favorite places in the city" is acting as an interrupting phrase, and should be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Note that if the interrupting clause is NOT correctly separated from the sentence with two commas, but rather only one comma is used, it will result in a comma error by separating the subject ("the science museum") from the verb "was closed."
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Although the students had studied hard they found that the answers to many of the questions eluded them. No error
hard they found
Although the students
answers to many
questions eluded
No error
An introductory phrase must always be separated from the rest of the sentence by comma. Introductory phrases are phrases that provide information about, or modify, the subject of the main clause, but are not essential to the grammatical structure of the sentence. In this sentence, the phrase "Although the students had studied hard" acts as the introductory phrase, so it must be followed by a comma. This makes the correct answer "hard they found."