Commas are tricky things, especially when subordinates and cujnncooitns are involved. If you can remember a few basic rules, a simple law of physics, and some common scenarios, you will be able to use commas correctly. I like to think of the different parts of our sentence as characters. Let's meet a few of them: the tiny conjunctions, the mighty subordinates, and the clever comma. Conjunctions are small and nimble. They are words that connect clauses, words, and phrases. You can easily remember the conjunctions by rmmebneeirg the acronym FANBOYS. The conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Because they're so small, more often than not, they require the help of a comma but not always. Subordinates, on the other hand, are the WWE heavyweight champions of sentences. They are words that cnocent two uaequnl things, dependent and independent clauses. Subordinates make it very cealr what is being prioritized in a sentence. Commonly used subordinates are although, because, before, however, unless, and even though. Because subordinates are all about power, they can do a lot of heavy lifting by themselves. But, of course, sometimes even the strongest among us needs some help from our clever friends. Because our cvleer cmoma is so nice, she often roams her neighborhood looking for some cunmtoimy service to do. Today, as soon as she leaves her house, she sees a subordinate lifting the whgeit of two complete sentences, one on each arm. Bartheleme loves engaging in political debate even though he usually loses. The comma asks the subordinate if he needs help. Well, we know that subordinates are the WWE heavyweight cnmhaoips of sentences. They can easily hold the weight of these two complete sentences because they are distributed evenly on both arms. So, when the comma asks if it can help, the subordinate is alappeld at the idea of needing assistance. No thanks, maybe next time! So, the comma continues on. Soon, she seems a couple of subordinates attempting to lift the weight of sentences directly in front of themselves. Even though Bartheleme loves to sing, he never sgins in front of others. The comma asks the subordinates if they need help. They might not want to admit it, but this time the subordinates do need help. Complete stenecens weigh quite a bit. spimle physics tells us that it's eiaesr to balance heavy objects if the weight is eenvly distributed. So, while the subordinates are quite capable of balancing two complete sentences when carrying the weight on both sides, they're having trouble picking just one up. The comma rushes over to help the struggling subordinates, but how will she help? When saironbtudes begin sentences, the comma will place herself directly after the first thoghut or complete sentence. After helping the subordinates, our comma hernioe continues on and spots a conjunction holding the weight of two complete sentences. bmrehtlaee was accepted into the University of Chicago, and he is on the waitlist for Stanford usvenritiy. The comma asks the conjunction if he needs help. Of course he does! Hurry! The comma rushes and places itself before the ccuoointjnn. Fanboys aren't as militant as subordinates. For this reason, the commas don't have to fall in line behind the fanboys. fbayons are courteous creatures. They allow the comma to go ahead of them. Helping others is hard work! On her way home, our comma sees a conjunction holding up the weight of a cltempoe sentence and a fragment sentence. Bartheleme is going to major in molecular biology or interpretive dance. The now-exhausted comma asks the conjunction if he needs help lifting the items. This is one of the rare occassions where a conjunction doesn't need the help of a comma. The conjunction aseusrs the comma that help isn't needed, which is good for the comma because by now, all it wants to do is go home and rest up for another day of vigilant sentence constructing.
Open Cloze
Commas are tricky things, especially when subordinates and ____________ are involved. If you can remember a few basic rules, a simple law of physics, and some common scenarios, you will be able to use commas correctly. I like to think of the different parts of our sentence as characters. Let's meet a few of them: the tiny conjunctions, the mighty subordinates, and the clever comma. Conjunctions are small and nimble. They are words that connect clauses, words, and phrases. You can easily remember the conjunctions by ___________ the acronym FANBOYS. The conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Because they're so small, more often than not, they require the help of a comma but not always. Subordinates, on the other hand, are the WWE heavyweight champions of sentences. They are words that _______ two _______ things, dependent and independent clauses. Subordinates make it very _____ what is being prioritized in a sentence. Commonly used subordinates are although, because, before, however, unless, and even though. Because subordinates are all about power, they can do a lot of heavy lifting by themselves. But, of course, sometimes even the strongest among us needs some help from our clever friends. Because our ___________ is so nice, she often roams her neighborhood looking for some _________ service to do. Today, as soon as she leaves her house, she sees a subordinate lifting the ______ of two complete sentences, one on each arm. Bartheleme loves engaging in political debate even though he usually loses. The comma asks the subordinate if he needs help. Well, we know that subordinates are the WWE heavyweight _________ of sentences. They can easily hold the weight of these two complete sentences because they are distributed evenly on both arms. So, when the comma asks if it can help, the subordinate is ________ at the idea of needing assistance. No thanks, maybe next time! So, the comma continues on. Soon, she seems a couple of subordinates attempting to lift the weight of sentences directly in front of themselves. Even though Bartheleme loves to sing, he never _____ in front of others. The comma asks the subordinates if they need help. They might not want to admit it, but this time the subordinates do need help. Complete _________ weigh quite a bit. ______ physics tells us that it's ______ to balance heavy objects if the weight is ______ distributed. So, while the subordinates are quite capable of balancing two complete sentences when carrying the weight on both sides, they're having trouble picking just one up. The comma rushes over to help the struggling subordinates, but how will she help? When ____________ begin sentences, the comma will place herself directly after the first _______ or complete sentence. After helping the subordinates, our comma _______ continues on and spots a conjunction holding the weight of two complete sentences. __________ was accepted into the University of Chicago, and he is on the waitlist for Stanford __________. The comma asks the conjunction if he needs help. Of course he does! Hurry! The comma rushes and places itself before the ___________. Fanboys aren't as militant as subordinates. For this reason, the commas don't have to fall in line behind the fanboys. _______ are courteous creatures. They allow the comma to go ahead of them. Helping others is hard work! On her way home, our comma sees a conjunction holding up the weight of a ________ sentence and a fragment sentence. Bartheleme is going to major in molecular biology or interpretive dance. The now-exhausted comma asks the conjunction if he needs help lifting the items. This is one of the rare occassions where a conjunction doesn't need the help of a comma. The conjunction _______ the comma that help isn't needed, which is good for the comma because by now, all it wants to do is go home and rest up for another day of vigilant sentence constructing.
Solution
subordinates
champions
heroine
weight
complete
sings
fanboys
clever
thought
conjunctions
clear
assures
sentences
remembering
appalled
comma
bartheleme
simple
conjunction
connect
community
easier
unequal
university
evenly
Original Text
Commas are tricky things, especially when subordinates and conjunctions are involved. If you can remember a few basic rules, a simple law of physics, and some common scenarios, you will be able to use commas correctly. I like to think of the different parts of our sentence as characters. Let's meet a few of them: the tiny conjunctions, the mighty subordinates, and the clever comma. Conjunctions are small and nimble. They are words that connect clauses, words, and phrases. You can easily remember the conjunctions by remembering the acronym FANBOYS. The conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Because they're so small, more often than not, they require the help of a comma but not always. Subordinates, on the other hand, are the WWE heavyweight champions of sentences. They are words that connect two unequal things, dependent and independent clauses. Subordinates make it very clear what is being prioritized in a sentence. Commonly used subordinates are although, because, before, however, unless, and even though. Because subordinates are all about power, they can do a lot of heavy lifting by themselves. But, of course, sometimes even the strongest among us needs some help from our clever friends. Because our clever comma is so nice, she often roams her neighborhood looking for some community service to do. Today, as soon as she leaves her house, she sees a subordinate lifting the weight of two complete sentences, one on each arm. Bartheleme loves engaging in political debate even though he usually loses. The comma asks the subordinate if he needs help. Well, we know that subordinates are the WWE heavyweight champions of sentences. They can easily hold the weight of these two complete sentences because they are distributed evenly on both arms. So, when the comma asks if it can help, the subordinate is appalled at the idea of needing assistance. No thanks, maybe next time! So, the comma continues on. Soon, she seems a couple of subordinates attempting to lift the weight of sentences directly in front of themselves. Even though Bartheleme loves to sing, he never sings in front of others. The comma asks the subordinates if they need help. They might not want to admit it, but this time the subordinates do need help. Complete sentences weigh quite a bit. Simple physics tells us that it's easier to balance heavy objects if the weight is evenly distributed. So, while the subordinates are quite capable of balancing two complete sentences when carrying the weight on both sides, they're having trouble picking just one up. The comma rushes over to help the struggling subordinates, but how will she help? When subordinates begin sentences, the comma will place herself directly after the first thought or complete sentence. After helping the subordinates, our comma heroine continues on and spots a conjunction holding the weight of two complete sentences. Bartheleme was accepted into the University of Chicago, and he is on the waitlist for Stanford University. The comma asks the conjunction if he needs help. Of course he does! Hurry! The comma rushes and places itself before the conjunction. Fanboys aren't as militant as subordinates. For this reason, the commas don't have to fall in line behind the fanboys. Fanboys are courteous creatures. They allow the comma to go ahead of them. Helping others is hard work! On her way home, our comma sees a conjunction holding up the weight of a complete sentence and a fragment sentence. Bartheleme is going to major in molecular biology or interpretive dance. The now-exhausted comma asks the conjunction if he needs help lifting the items. This is one of the rare occassions where a conjunction doesn't need the help of a comma. The conjunction assures the comma that help isn't needed, which is good for the comma because by now, all it wants to do is go home and rest up for another day of vigilant sentence constructing.