16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumNo comma between a long subject and its verb

Standard English Conventions practice question

The results of the survey of two thousand households ____ published last week.

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

  1. A. wereCorrect
  2. B. , were
  3. C. ; were
  4. D. , were,

Answer: A. were

However long the subject, nothing separates it from its verb: 'The results ... were published'.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. , were
A comma between a subject and its verb is an error.
C. ; were
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side.
D. , were,
Two commas isolate the verb from both its subject and its complement.

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