16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardNo comma in a compound predicate

Standard English Conventions practice question

The captain checked the charts twice ____ decided to wait for daylight.

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 then

Answer: A. and

"checked … and decided" shares one subject, so no comma goes before "and".

Why the other answers are wrong

B. , and
A comma before "and" is for joining two complete sentences.
C. ; and
A semicolon needs a complete sentence after it.
D. , and then
Same problem with an extra word.

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