16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumSemicolon between closely related independent clauses

Standard English Conventions practice question

The bakery sells out of rye by ____ the sourdough usually lasts until noon.

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

  1. A. nine;Correct
  2. B. nine,
  3. C. nine
  4. D. nine, however

Answer: A. nine;

Two independent clauses with no conjunction take a semicolon.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. nine,
A comma alone is a comma splice.
C. nine
No punctuation is a run-on.
D. nine, however
'However' after a comma between two clauses is still a splice; it needs a semicolon before it.

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