Which line is correct?

Question

"I conducted an analysis and then determined the cause of the problem."

"I conducted an analysis and determined the cause of the problem."

"I conducted an analysis, and i determined the cause of the problem."

Answer 1

The first two are both grammatically correct. The third is almost grammatically correct as well, but the comma is not necessary. Otherwise, all three are valid sentences.

So, besides the unnecessary comma, it is not really a matter of which is correct. We might instead ask which is best. I’d suggest #2 is best. It is the shortest and most readable sentence. Unnecessary words are not your friend in good writing.

#2 also indicates that finding the problem was a result of the analysis, not simply an event that occurred next. And that seems both accurate and stronger in that it suggests a story - a cause and effect. The human mind likes stories, likes logical connections, and pays attention to them, so this tends to make for stronger writing.

Answer 2

All of these are grammatically correct for different reasons. Looking into the rules on what is needed to create a complete sentence (that is neither a run-on nor a fragment) will help you with questions like this in the future.

Answer 3

Ethan,

When you present a question like this, it is helpful to state which one YOU think is correct and why. In that way, the tutor is not just giving an answer, but also discovering specific reasons you may not be confident with this type of question. You received a comprehensive answer, though!