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My proposal didn't have a very good example, and I'm trying to think of examples I've seen in standardized tests, but say you have a variety of "comma" bots, and the "thinking" part is: Which type of question am I being asked? Here are six different comma scenarios. Imagine I'm a player, and I see one of the following six bots using the following array options: X = Sam Y = buys A = milk C = every day D = who loves fishing X2 = Sally Y2 = has A2 = popcorn A3 = a baseball I'm given one of the following series of possible answers, and I have to figure out which type of question I'm begin asked, and therefore, which answer is correct: 1. Dependent clause: Sam buys milk every day. (X Y A C where C = dependent clauses.) Options: - Sam, buys milk every day. - Sam buys milk, every day. - Sam, buys milk every day. - Sam buys, milk every day. - Sam, buys milk, every day. - Sam buys milk every day. (correct) 2. Independent clause: Sam buys milk and Sally has popcorn. (X Y A and X2 Y2 A2) Options: - Sam buys milk, Sally has popcorn. - Sam buys milk, and Sally has popcorn. (correct) - Sam, buys milk and Sally has popcorn. - Sam buys milk and, Sally has popcorn. - Sam buys milk and Sally, has popcorn. - Sam buys, milk and Sally has, popcorn. - Sam buys milk and Sally has popcorn. 4. Elements in a series (three items): Sam buys milk popcorn and a baseball. (X Y A A2 and A3) - Sam buys milk, popcorn, a baseball. - Sam, buys milk popcorn and a baseball. - Sam buys, milk popcorn and a baseball. - Sam buys milk, popcorn and a baseball. - Sam buys milk, popcorn, and a baseball. - Sam buys milk, popcorn, and, a baseball. - Both A and B. - Both C and D. (correct. Is it possible to make the bot smart enough to create this option with random order? If not, the easy solution is to only include one of the two correct answers.) - Both A and E. 5. Introductory elements: Every day Sam buys milk. (C X Y A) - Every day Sam buys milk. (correct) - Every day, Sam buys milk. - Every day, Sam, buys milk. - Every day Sam, buys milk. - Every day Sam buys, milk. 6. Parenthetic elements/appositives: Sam who loves baseball buys milk. (X D Y A where D= parenthetic phrases) - Sam who loves fishing buys milk. - Sam, who loves fishing buys milk. - Sam who loves fishing, buys milk. - Sam who loves fishing buys, milk. - Sam, who loves fishing, buys milk. (correct) - Sam, who loves fishing, buys, milk. This is just the set of options for commas. We could create arrays of questions for a number of grammatical and usage concepts. Regards, Michelle |