16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardComma before a 'which' clause commenting on the whole clause

Standard English Conventions practice question

The town installed solar panels on the school roof ____ cut the school's electricity bill in half.

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

  1. A. , whichCorrect
  2. B. . Which
  3. C. ; which
  4. D. which

Answer: A. , which

'which cut the school's electricity bill in half' comments on the whole preceding action. A nonessential 'which' clause is attached with a comma.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. . Which
'Which cut the school's electricity bill in half' is a fragment.
C. ; which
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side; the 'which' clause is dependent.
D. which
Without a comma, 'roof which cut' misreads as if a particular roof did the cutting.

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