If the following sentence needs a comma, identify the correct placement of the comma:
A The winning tickets were sold in Idaho Montana Nevada and California.
B This sentence does not need a comma.
C The winning tickets were sold in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and California.
D The winning tickets were sold in, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and California.
E The winning tickets were sold in Idaho Montana Nevada, and California.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C: The winning tickets were sold in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and California.
In this case, the sentence lists multiple items, which are the states where the winning tickets were sold. According to standard grammar rules, when listing three or more items, commas should be used to separate each item. This is known as a serial or Oxford comma.
The sentence in option C correctly places commas between the states Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and California. The final comma before “and” is also essential for clarity, especially in complex lists. Though the use of the serial comma can vary by style guide, its inclusion here helps avoid ambiguity.
- In option A, no commas are used, which makes the list of states hard to read and understand.
- In option B, no commas are used, but it’s incorrect because a list of states requires commas for clarity.
- Option D places a comma after “in,” which is unnecessary. A comma directly after “in” is incorrect because it breaks up the subject “The winning tickets” from its verb “were sold.”
- Option E places a comma incorrectly after “Nevada,” disrupting the flow of the sentence.
Using commas appropriately not only aids in readability but also follows proper punctuation rules for clear communication. By placing commas between items in a list, readers can easily distinguish each state, making the sentence flow more smoothly.