16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasyNo comma in a compound predicate

Standard English Conventions practice question

The chef seasoned the soup ____ tasted it once more before serving.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. andCorrect
  2. B. , and
  3. C. ; and
  4. D. . And

Answer: A. and

'seasoned' and 'tasted' are two verbs sharing one subject, 'the chef'. Two verbs joined by 'and' with no new subject take no comma.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. , and
A comma before 'and' is for joining two complete sentences. 'tasted it once more' has no subject of its own, so it isn't one.
C. ; and
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side; 'and tasted it once more' isn't one.
D. . And
'And tasted it once more before serving' is a fragment.

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