Question

Which sentence uses a comma in a way that is considered contested usage?

Select two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

Stephen did not understand the question, and so Gina tried to explain it to him more clearly.
Stephen did not understand the question, and so Gina tried to explain it to him more clearly.

We are passing through New Orleans, Louisiana right before we stop in Houston, Texas.
We are passing through New Orleans, Louisiana right before we stop in Houston, Texas.

Winston Churchill famously said, "It is not in our power to anticipate our destiny."
Winston Churchill famously said, "It is not in our power to anticipate our destiny."

Faith, Millie's best friend from summer camp, is coming to visit in a few weeks.
Faith, Millie's best friend from summer camp, is coming to visit in a few weeks.

Zagreb, Sarajevo, and Dubrovnik are all major cities in the Balkan region of eastern Europe.

Answer 1

The two sentences that use commas in a way that is considered contested usage are:

1. "We are passing through New Orleans, Louisiana right before we stop in Houston, Texas."
2. "Faith, Millie's best friend from summer camp, is coming to visit in a few weeks."

The first sentence can be argued for or against the use of the second comma after "Louisiana," as there's a debate about the necessity of including geographic commas in non-restrictive phrases. The second sentence has a similar contest around the use of commas for non-restrictive appositives, though it's more widely accepted here.