16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardDash pair enclosing a clause with its own comma

Standard English Conventions practice question

The two candidates — one of whom, the incumbent, had held the seat for twenty ____ agreed to a single debate.

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

  1. A. years —Correct
  2. B. years,
  3. C. years;
  4. D. years

Answer: A. years —

The interruption opened with a dash must be closed with a dash, however much punctuation lies inside it.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. years,
A comma cannot close what a dash opened.
C. years;
Nor can a semicolon.
D. years
With no closing mark, the aside runs into the main verb.

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