16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardColon introducing a rule after a full clause

Standard English Conventions practice question

The recipe has one rule the chef will not ____ the butter must be cold.

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

  1. A. bend:Correct
  2. B. bend,
  3. C. bend, namely
  4. D. bend

Answer: A. bend:

The clause is complete, and what follows states the rule: a colon introduces it.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. bend,
A comma splices the rule onto the clause.
C. bend, namely
'Namely' after a comma still joins two independent clauses with only a comma.
D. bend
No punctuation runs the two together.

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