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The use of commas is important in writing. It helps to separate phrases and clauses within a sentence. A comma is usually placed before a conjunction such as "and" or "but" when it joins two independent clauses. This helps to make the sentence clear and easier to read. For example, the sentence "The cat sat on the mat, and the dog watched him" is easier to read than "The cat sat on the mat and the dog watched him." This is because the comma helps to separate the two independent clauses.

SAT · English · previous-year question

  1. A.The cat sat on the mat, and the dog watched him.correct
  2. B.The cat sat on the mat and the dog watched him.
  3. C.The cat sat on the mat; and the dog watched him.
  4. D.The cat sat on the mat, and the dog watched him;

Answer

A. The cat sat on the mat, and the dog watched him.

Explanation

Choice A is the only correctly punctuated sentence. It uses a comma to separate the two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction "and." The other choices are incorrect because they either fail to use a comma before the conjunction or they use incorrect punctuation.

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