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

Question

Select two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

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

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."

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

Answer 1

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

1. We are passing through New Orleans, Louisiana right before we stop in Houston, Texas. - The comma after "Louisiana" can be considered unnecessary in some style guides, such as AP style, which recommends omitting it if the state name is not in an address format.

2. Stephen did not understand the question, and so Gina tried to explain it to him more clearly. - The use of the comma before "and so" can be contested because "and so" is often considered a coordinating conjunction that may not require a preceding comma, especially in casual writing.

So, the correct answers are the third and fifth sentences.