IXL | Use semicolons and commas to separate clauses

Add a comma or semicolon if needed. Otherwise, submit the text without any additional punctuation.

Scientists have discovered that gas—most likely methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas—is seeping out of the ocean if however, the methane is dissolving into the ocean rather than reaching the atmosphere.

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question

Add a comma or semicolon if needed. Otherwise, submit the text without any additional punctuation.

Hebrew was revived as a spoken language in the late nineteenth if and was adopted as the official language of the new State of Israel in the twentieth century.

key idea

Use a comma to separate two independent clauses that are joined with a coordinating conjunction, such as and, or, but, or so. However, if the coordinating conjunction joins verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate, a comma should not be used.

Wyatt was reserved around new people, but he was hardly shy.

Wyatt was reserved around new people but was hardly shy.

Also use a comma to separate a dependent (or subordinate) clause and an independent clause when the dependent clause comes first. These dependent clauses usually start with a subordinating conjunction, such as after, although, or because.

Although Wyatt was reserved around new people, he was hardly shy.

Use a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses that are not joined with a coordinating conjunction.

Wyatt was hardly shy; he was simply reserved around new people.

Also use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses that are joined with a conjunctive adverb, such as consequently, however, or therefore.

Wyatt was hardly shy; nevertheless, he was reserved around new people.

solution

The coordinating conjunction (and) does not join two independent clauses, so do not add any punctuation.

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Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

FF.3Identify dependent and independent clauses

PP.2Identify coordinating conjunctions

PP.3Identify subordinating conjunctions

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