16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardColon or dash before an elaboration; not a semicolon before a fragment

Standard English Conventions practice question

The volunteers had one instruction they could not ____ never to touch a bird's nest, however abandoned it looked.

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

  1. A. ignore:Correct
  2. B. ignore;
  3. C. ignore,
  4. D. ignore

Answer: A. ignore:

A colon introduces the elaboration ('never to touch…') after the complete clause.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. ignore;
A semicolon needs an independent clause after it; 'never to touch…' is not one.
C. ignore,
A comma leaves the elaboration loosely attached.
D. ignore
No punctuation runs the two together.

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