Question

AS—Adjectives in a Series: When a list of adjectives is not separated by a conjunction(s), place commas between them

NS—Nouns in a Series (more than two nouns): When a list of nouns or noun phrases is not separated by a conjunction(s), place commas between them

VS—Verbs in a Series: When a list of verbs or verb phrases is not separated by a conjunction(s), place commas between them

2IC—Two Independent Clauses (or “compound sentences”): If two independent clauses (two complete sentences) are joined with a coordinating conjunction, place a comma before the conjunction.

IE—Introductory Elements: An introductory element is a word or phrase before the main, independent, part of the sentence. It usually tells you something about the main clause.

NRC—Non-Restrictive Clauses: These clauses are often known as “the part you could just take out”; they include parenthetical comments, appositives, contrasting elements, interjections, direct addresses, dates, conjunctive adverbs, and other transitional words and phrases. They’re sometimes at the end of a sentence.

Practice with Commas: Write the Code (AS, NS, VS, IE, 2IC, NRC) that Corresponds to the Commas Used in the Following Sentences. _____Clean dorm rooms, according to Newsweek, are considered illegal at EIU.

_____The drunken contractor declared that the house had been built properly, so we immediately had the place bulldozed

_____The closet contained old, worn clothes and, worse than that, clothes she had stolen.

_____The uninvited bird pranced across our pumpkin pie, but we ate it anyway.

_____Running blindfolded through the minefield was exciting, but what happened to Kenny?

_____He gave all of his cash to the robber, who promised the money would be donated to charity.

_____Maggie usually just sucks on her pacifier, and I bet she’ll never speak.

_____Snails, which never made good pets anyway, have a great future as a pizza topping.

_____She reads everything, but understands zip.

_____She reads everything, but she understands zip.

Answer 1

NRC - Clean dorm rooms, according to Newsweek, are considered illegal at EIU.

"According to Newsweek" is additional information that can be removed as there would be no significant change in the main idea of the sentence.

2IC - The drunken contractor declared that the house had been built properly, so we immediately had the place bulldozed.

There are two independent clauses -1. The drunken contractor declared that the house had been built properly. 2. We immediately had the place bulldozed. They are both joined by coordinating conjunction 'so'.

AS - The closet contained old, worn clothes and, worse than that, clothes she had stolen.

Old, worn clothes. Old and worn are both adjectives that appear in a series.

2IC - The uninvited bird pranced across our pumpkin pie, but we ate it anyway.

An independent clause contains a subject, verb and predicate.

VS - Running blindfolded through the minefield was exciting, but what happened to Kenny?

Running blindfolded. Running and blindfolded are both verbs that appear in a series.

NRC - He gave all of his cash to the robber, who promised the money would be donated to charity.

The part "who promised the money would be donated to charity" is adding extra information about the robber that can be removed as it would not affect the main idea of the clause.

2IC - Maggie usually just sucks on her pacifier, and I bet she’ll never speak.

NRC - Snails, which never made good pets anyway, have a great future as a pizza topping.

Nonrestrictive clauses - Clauses that contain parts that are removable. "which was never good pets anyway" is the additional part about snails that can be removed as by removing it, there is no significant effect on the main idea of the clause.