16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumPeriod before a sentence beginning with 'Instead'

Standard English Conventions practice question

The council did not reject the plan outright ____ it asked the developer for a smaller version.

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

  1. A. . Instead,Correct
  2. B. , instead,
  3. C. instead,
  4. D. , instead

Answer: A. . Instead,

'Instead' cannot join two complete sentences. A period ends the first; 'Instead' opens the second with a comma after it.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. , instead,
A comma between two complete sentences is a splice.
C. instead,
With no punctuation before 'instead', the sentences run together.
D. , instead
A splice, and 'instead' lacks its comma.

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