16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardNo punctuation before a whether-clause

Standard English Conventions practice question

Ask the librarian ____ the archive is open on Saturdays.

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

  1. A. whetherCorrect
  2. B. whether,
  3. C. ; whether
  4. D. : whether

Answer: A. whether

The whether-clause is the object of ask and needs no punctuation before it.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. whether,
A comma after whether breaks the clause.
C. ; whether
A semicolon leaves a fragment after it.
D. : whether
A colon leaves a fragment after it.

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