16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsHardSemicolon before in fact

Standard English Conventions practice question

The path is not merely ____ in fact, it has been closed since the landslide.

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

  1. A. steep;Correct
  2. B. steep,
  3. C. steep
  4. D. steep, and

Answer: A. steep;

"in fact, it has been closed" is a complete sentence, so a semicolon separates it from the first.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. steep,
A comma splice.
C. steep
Run together.
D. steep, and
"and in fact, it" leaves a stray comma after the conjunction phrase; the semicolon is the clean join.

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