Final answer:
True. The phrase in commas can be removed without losing the meaning, making the sentence 'Once upon a time, a princess was locked up in a castle'. The question involves understanding comma usage and identifying non-essential clauses in English grammar.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a princess was locked up in a castle" would indeed make sense if the phrase in commas was removed. The core sentence would then be "Once upon a time, a princess was locked up in a castle.", which retains its comprehensibility. In English grammar, the phrase in commas provides additional information but is not essential to the main clause's meaning.
Reviewing the provided sentences for comma usage:
- I finally found my keys; and I got to work just in time. (Instead of a comma, a semicolon is needed here to connect two independent clauses)
- Mrs. Contreras threw out her old coffee table, and cleaned the carpet. (This comma is correct as it is used before the coordinating conjunction 'and' joining two independent clauses)
- Taking the elevator to the roof, we hoped we could see the skyline and the bay. (A comma is placed after the introductory phrase and the second comma is removed)
- Though Susan wasn't feeling well, she went to the store anyway and bought ice cream, pizza, and candy. (A comma after 'well' to separate the dependent clause, and commas to separate items in a list)
- I let my neighbor borrow my phone because she said hers was tapped by the police. (No comma is necessary here as the information that follows 'because' is essential to the meaning of the sentence.)