Editing Practice

Which of the following is a correctly punctuated complex sentence?

• After, I got home from school, I walked the dog, put away laundry, and finished my homework.
• After I got home from school, I walked the dog, put away laundry, and finished my homework.
• After I got home from school I walked the dog, put away laundry, and finished my homework.

What is the best way to combine these sentences?
The girl was little.
She pressed her nose against the window.
The window was icy.
She giggled with delight.
She had never seen snow before.

• The girl was little as she pressed her nose against the icy window, and giggled with delight because she had never seen snow before.
• The little girl pressed her nose against the icy window and giggled with delight because she had never seen snow before.
• Because the little girl pressed her nose against the icy window, she giggled with delight at the never-before seen snow.
• Because, the little girl pressed her nose against the icy window, she giggled with delight at the never-before seen snow.

Each time you see a conjunction/FANBOYS word, you use a comma.

• True
• False

What is the best way to combine the following sentences: 
Carla, and Bob weren't paying attention to the teacher.
They couldn't do their homework.

• Carla and Bob weren't paying attention to the teacher, so they couldn't do their homework.
• Carla and Bob weren't paying attention to the teacher.
• They couldn't do their homework. They weren't paying attention to the teacher.
• When Carla and Bob couldn't do their homework, they gave their attention to the teacher. 

What is the best way to combine the following sentences: 
Mike has a new job, and he starts next week.
Sue has a new job, and she starts next week.

• Mike has a new job, and he starts next week.
• Mike and Sue have new jobs.
• Mike and Sue have new jobs, and they start next week.
• Mike and Sue must start their new jobs soon. 

What is the best way to combine the following sentences:
Willie liked the puppy he saw at the pet store.
He plans on buying it tomorrow.

• Willie liked the puppy he saw at the pet store and plans on buying it tomorrow.
• Willie liked the puppy he saw at the pet store and plans on buying the puppy. 
• Willie liked the puppy he saw at the pet store, plans on buying it tomorrow.
• The pet store let Willie buy the puppy. 

Choose the option that best combines all of the information contained in the sentences below:
Our car broke down.
We called a tow truck.
We had it towed to Toronto.

• When our car broke down we had to call a tow truck to have it towed to Toronto.
• We had to call a tow truck when our car broke down.
• A tow truck from Toronto had to be called when our car broke down.
• We had to tow the car to Toronto.

How would you combine the following sentences without changing the meaning? 
My cat escaped out the door.
I had to rescue it from a tree.
I was late for school.

• I rescued my cat from a tree because it was escaped out the door.
• I was late for school after my cat escaped out of the door.
• After my cat escaped out the door, I had to rescue it from a tree and was then late for school.
• My cat escaped out the door and I had to rescue it from a tree and I was late for school.

Where should the commas go?
The deer head up ears alert listened for danger.

• The deer, head up, ears alert, listened for danger.
• The deer, head up ears alert, listened for danger.
• The deer head up ears alert, listened for danger.
• The deer head, up ears alert, listened for danger.

Find the VERB.
Melted snow is such a mess.

• melted
• snow
• is
• mess