16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardEssential appositive name

Standard English Conventions practice question

The physicist ____ awarded the medal for her work on radioactivity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. physicist Marie Curie wasCorrect
  2. B. physicist, Marie Curie, was
  3. C. physicist, Marie Curie was
  4. D. physicist Marie Curie, was

Answer: A. physicist Marie Curie was

'Marie Curie' tells us WHICH physicist — it's essential to identify her, since there are many physicists. An essential appositive takes no commas.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. physicist, Marie Curie, was
Commas around the name would imply there is only one physicist in the world and her name is an aside.
C. physicist, Marie Curie was
A single comma after 'physicist' has no partner and cuts the noun from the name that identifies it.
D. physicist Marie Curie, was
A single comma after the name separates the subject from its verb 'was'.

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