<p>But all kayakers can appreciate the nuances
of nature as they travel on water in this <em>simple,</em> but
versatile boat. </p>
<p>A. NO CHANGE
B. simple
C. simple—
D. simple;</p>
<p>I answered with A. because I read a similar problem in a prep book and there was a comma before the conjunction.</p>
<p>The answer is B though. Can someone explain why?</p>
<p>I'd also like to know, what is an easy way to figure out which sentences with conjunctions would need commas? Thanks.</p>
<p>I read somewhere that if you have a comma before a conjunction (other than the “and” when you have a list of things), the following clause has to be independent, which is not the case here.</p>
<p>But in “The Elements of Style” it said the opposite, so idk.</p>
<p>asdf is right, if you use a comma before FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), except when listing, both parts that you are connecting must be independent clauses.
As ‘versatile boat’ is not an independent clause, you don’t use a comma.
See this page :
[Rules</a> for Comma Usage](<a href=“http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm]Rules”>http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm)</p>
<p>So on the test, it should only take you a few seconds to look at both sides of the sentence. If they can both stand alone, use a comma. If one of them can’t stand alone, no comma.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>Why not just use a semicolon then if they are both independent clauses?</p>
<p>I think you would be able to IF they were both independent clauses. The way it is, though, a semicolon wouldn’t fit.</p>