Final answer:
No, a comma is not needed in the sentence "The ancient Mesopotamians developed a system of canals, but these canals created severely salinized soil." The correct answer is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the provided sentence, "The ancient Mesopotamians developed a system of canals but these canals created severely salinized soil," the conjunction "but" is used to join two independent clauses. When two independent clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions like "but," a comma is generally not required before the conjunction unless there's a specific need for emphasis or clarification.
Here, the sentence reads smoothly without a comma before "but." The lack of a comma helps maintain the flow between the two related clauses, emphasizing the cause-and-effect relationship between the development of canals and the resulting salinized soil without creating unnecessary interruption or pause. The correct answer is B.
Is the coma needed in the following statement:
The ancient Mesopotamians developed a system of canals, but these canals created severely salinized soil.
A. Yes, a comma is needed.
B. No, a comma is not needed.