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

Standard English Conventions practice question

As soon as the gates ____ the crowd surged toward the stage.

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

  1. A. opened,Correct
  2. B. opened;
  3. C. opened
  4. D. opened, then

Answer: A. opened,

A dependent clause opening the sentence takes a comma.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. opened;
A semicolon needs an independent clause before it.
C. opened
No boundary after the opener.
D. opened, then
'Then' after the comma is redundant with 'as soon as'.

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