16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardColon introducing a single item

Standard English Conventions practice question

There was only one thing the recipe ____ patience.

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

  1. A. required:Correct
  2. B. required;
  3. C. required,
  4. D. required

Answer: A. required:

A complete clause followed by the item it announces takes a colon.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. required;
A semicolon needs a clause after it.
C. required,
A comma makes 'patience' dangle.
D. required
No boundary before the announced item.

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