Worked examples
Two examples
Example 1
After the ______ cleaned up.Choices: meeting we / meeting, we / meeting; we
- Where does the main sentence start? At we cleaned up.
- Everything before it, after the meeting, is an opening part that sets the scene.
- A comma marks where the opening part ends. A semicolon would not work, because the opening part is not a complete sentence.
Answer: After the meeting, we cleaned up.
Example 2
______ the clinic is closed on Sunday.Choices: Unfortunately / Unfortunately, / Unfortunately;
- The sentence opens with one word, unfortunately, before the main sentence.
- An opening word takes a comma after it, just like an opening phrase.
Answer: Unfortunately, the clinic is closed on Sunday.
Where this is taught: Punctuation: Start Here, Part 1: Commas
More practice: Quiz 43, Commas · In your Kaplan book: Unit 1, Chapter 9, Lesson 1, “Comma Use”
The drill
Ten questions
How many:
In each sentence, open the drop-down and choose the words that make the sentence correct, the way the GED test asks. A few questions ask you to tap a whole sentence instead. Then press Check my answers at the bottom.In each sentence, circle the choice in the brackets that makes the sentence correct; where whole sentences are given, circle one. The answer key, with the reasoning, is on the last page.