Where should the comma be placed in this sentence?

Americans toss out 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour and approximately fifteen hundred bottles wind up in landfills and the ocean every second.

Correct the text by inserting one comma.

As they drop off and pick up passengers Utah State University's electric buses charge their batteries through a specialized induction process.

Correct the text by inserting one comma.

Oops I didn't realize that someone had reserved this seat.

Correct the text by inserting one comma.

Amy this cauliflower dish is bland; at the very least, it could use some more salt and pepper.

Correct the text by inserting two commas.

You may be in debt Mr. Clayton but there's no need to declare bankruptcy yet.

Correct the text by inserting two commas.

Mr. Crawford just announced much to my surprise that he's leaving for Japan on Friday .

Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve their word choice?

I saw a movie called Blob Invasion. It was really good. It was about a weird guy who was into science. He worked on bugs and small animals. He made a machine that did things to the bugs and the animals. They became big weird things. One day he transformed himself by accident. He became a big blob! He went around doing bad things to the city. In the end, a boy figured out how to change the blob back into a man. I would recommend this movie to everyone who likes fun science movies.

Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve their organization?

In the 1800s, egrets were hunted in the United States for their long white plumes (feathers). As a result, the birds were nearly wiped out completely. Thankfully, conservation measures were put in place, and the birds were protected. In fact, in recent years, egrets have expanded their range northward, moving beyond their original habitat in the American South. The egret is a large white bird that lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wetland areas.

Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve their grammar and mechanics?

When I'm asked to name my favorite teacher, I immediately think of Mr. Sweeney. In fifth grade, Mr. Sweeney taught us all about architecture he had the class start by learning to measure things very accurately. We studied environmentally friendly building methods, and we designed and built our own homes of the future. Mr. Sweeney was always fun and interesting, he believed that we could do more than we thought we could do. He helped me break boundaries in my life, he was a positive influence on me and will always be one of the most inspirational people in my life.

Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve their ideas and development?

On June 16, 1976, thousands of black South African students protested in the streets of the Soweto settlement. At that time, South Africa had a policy of apartheid, which strictly separated the races and discriminated against black South Africans. The students were angry that they had to use Afrikaans, the language used by the white population that ruled South Africa, in their schools. The United States had laws preventing black people and white people from using the same public places until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished segregation. Hundreds of protesters were killed in Soweto. When news of the uprising spread around the world, it helped pressure South Africa to reform its policies. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.