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I am trying to punctuate the following sentence and am unsure if they are two independent clauses, requiring a comma.

The Court reversed the decision, holding that the application was untimely and the execution could proceed.

"the execution could proceed" is a full sentence (could be an independent clause requiring a comma before "and")

But I am thinking that "the application was untimely" and "the execution could proceed" are something like compound objects or some sort of two-part list that doesn't require a comma?

Weather Vane
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  • Need more context. Provide more context and source. – banuyayi Nov 03 '22 at 19:49
  • Adding a comma might suggest that "the execution could proceed" wasn't something the Court actually said, but an inference from what they did say. – Weather Vane Nov 03 '22 at 20:00
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    Hello, A.C. Does this answer your question? Comma before "and" in compound sentences ... necessary or not? However, the -ing-clause complicates here. I'd use 'The Court reversed the decision, holding that the application was untimely and that the execution could proceed.' if that is intended, or 'The Court reversed the decision, holding that the application was untimely. And so the execution could proceed.' – Edwin Ashworth Nov 03 '22 at 20:33
  • 1 - Short bits may need no comma. 2 - Keep the decision pair together: holding that [the application was untimely] and [the execution could proceed.] – Yosef Baskin Nov 03 '22 at 21:17
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    The Court reversed the decision. + The Court held that the application was untimely and [that] the execution could proceed. Combine the two same-subject sentences by reducing one of them to a participle clause: The Court reversed the decision, holding that the application was untimely and [that] the execution could proceed. – Tinfoil Hat Nov 04 '22 at 03:28

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A comma is not required as long as it makes sense to the listener or reader. I do not understand your question about independent clause. Are you meaning to say totally unrelated clauses as this sentence,

birds are blue and the club president made a speech.

I think you clauses are "this with that" type. That makes the comma optional, not essential.

KillingTime
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  • Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet[,] and so are you. The last comma is optional; the others are mandatory. – Brandin Nov 04 '22 at 10:43