16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsMediumSemicolon before a conjunctive adverb

Standard English Conventions practice question

The experiment produced consistent results ____ the researchers repeated it twice more to be certain.

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

  1. A. results, however, the researchers
  2. B. results; however, the researchersCorrect
  3. C. results however, the researchers
  4. D. results, however; the researchers

Answer: B. results; however, the researchers

'However' is a transition word, not a conjunction — it can't join two complete sentences by itself. The clause boundary needs a semicolon before 'however', and 'however' then takes its own comma.

Why the other answers are wrong

A. results, however, the researchers
This is a comma splice with a transition word in the middle. 'However' doesn't have the joining power of 'but', so the comma before it isn't enough.
C. results however, the researchers
With nothing before 'however', the two complete sentences simply run together. The boundary between them needs a semicolon.
D. results, however; the researchers
The semicolon is on the wrong side. The sentence boundary comes BEFORE 'however' — 'however' belongs to the second clause, so the semicolon has to precede it.

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