16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsVery hardSemicolons separating items with internal commas

Standard English Conventions practice question

The exhibition brings together paintings from Madrid, ____ sculptures from Florence, Italy; and tapestries from Bruges, Belgium.

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

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

Answer: A. Spain;

The other items are separated by semicolons because each contains a comma; this one must match.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Spain,
A comma makes Spain and the sculptures look like one item.
C. Spain
No separator.
D. Spain:
A colon does not separate list items.

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