16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsMediumSetting off a nonessential appositive

Standard English Conventions practice question

Dr. Alvarez ____ has published widely on coral reef ecology.

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

  1. A. Alvarez, the lead researcher on the expedition, hasCorrect
  2. B. Alvarez the lead researcher on the expedition, has
  3. C. Alvarez, the lead researcher on the expedition has
  4. D. Alvarez; the lead researcher on the expedition, has

Answer: A. Alvarez, the lead researcher on the expedition, has

'the lead researcher on the expedition' renames Dr. Alvarez and could be removed without changing the sentence's structure, so it is a nonessential appositive. Such an aside is set off by a comma on BOTH sides.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Alvarez the lead researcher on the expedition, has
The aside has a closing comma but no opening one. An interrupting phrase needs a matching pair — one comma before it and one after.
C. Alvarez, the lead researcher on the expedition has
The opening comma is there but the closing one is missing, so the aside never ends and runs into the verb 'has'.
D. Alvarez; the lead researcher on the expedition, has
A semicolon needs a complete clause on each side. 'the lead researcher on the expedition, has published widely' has no subject of its own once cut off from 'Dr. Alvarez'.

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