Final answer:
The original sentence, 'The cashier, the manager, and the customers all enjoyed the holiday music playing at the store,' is correctly punctuated.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is the English language, specifically focused on the rules of punctuation involving commas. When punctuating items in a series, it is essential to place commas in appropriate places to ensure clarity and correct grammar. The sentence in question is already properly punctuated with commas: "The cashier, the manager, and the customers all enjoyed the holiday music playing at the store." The rule applied here is the usage of the serial (Oxford or Harvard) comma, which is the comma placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items. This helps to separate each item and clarifies that the list is composed of distinct elements.
To further illustrate proper comma usage, let's review the provided examples:
- “I finally found my keys, and I got to work just in time.”
- “Mrs. Contreras threw out her old coffee table and cleaned the carpet.” (No comma needed here since it is not joining two independent clauses)
- “Taking the elevator to the roof, we hoped we could see the skyline and the bay.”
- “Though Susan wasn't feeling well, she went to the store anyway and bought ice cream, pizza, and candy.”
- “I let my neighbor borrow my phone because she said hers was tapped by the police.” (No comma as it does not follow the subordinating conjunction “because”)
It is also crucial to distinguish between essential and nonessential clauses when deciding where to place commas. For example:
Nonessential clause: “The entire technology department, which consists of nine teachers and five staff members, has contributed to a report..."”
Essential clause: “The amount of lab space that needs to be updated is substantial.” (No commas are needed as the clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence)
Overall, understanding and applying the rules of comma usage is essential for achieving clarity and precision in writing.