Punctuation: Who is the formal performer: a dog, an airplane, a child, an electronic spreadsheet, a washing machine?? - briefly
The formal performer in this context is an electronic spreadsheet.
Punctuation: Who is the formal performer: a dog, an airplane, a child, an electronic spreadsheet, a washing machine?? - in detail
Punctuation plays a crucial role in clarifying the identity of the formal performer in the given sentence. By analyzing each element and its associated punctuation, we can determine who is responsible for executing the task.
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A dog: The presence of a comma after "dog" indicates that it is not the formal performer. Commas are used to separate elements in a list, and in this context, they suggest that each item listed—a dog, an airplane, a child, etc.—is not responsible for the action described.
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An airplane: Similarly, the comma after "airplane" rules out this option as well. The airplane is merely part of the list and not the entity performing the task.
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A child: Following the same logic, the comma after "child" excludes a child from being the formal performer. Each item in the list is separated by commas, suggesting they are all potential candidates but not definitively responsible for the action.
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An electronic spreadsheet: The comma after "spreadsheet" also indicates that it is not the formal performer. Like the previous items, it is part of a larger group listed together.
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A washing machine: Finally, we come to "a washing machine." Notably, there is no comma following this phrase. This omission suggests that the list has ended and the washing machine is indeed the formal performer responsible for executing the task.
In conclusion, based on the punctuation used, it is clear that the washing machine is the formal performer in the given sentence. The absence of a comma after "washing machine" distinguishes it from the other listed items, identifying it as the entity tasked with completing the action described.