16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumComma after an opening 'because' clause

Standard English Conventions practice question

Because the roads were coated in ice ____ school opened two hours late.

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

  1. A. ice, theCorrect
  2. B. ice the
  3. C. ice; the
  4. D. ice. The

Answer: A. ice, the

'Because the roads were coated in ice' is a dependent clause that opens the sentence. A comma separates it from the main clause.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. ice the
Without the comma, the boundary between the reason and the result is lost.
C. ice; the
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side; the 'because' clause can't stand alone.
D. ice. The
A period leaves the 'because' clause as a fragment.

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