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Select the best version of the italicized part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.Besides being e...
Select the best version of the italicized part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.Every time I go...
Select the best version of the italicized part of the sentence. If you think the original sentence is best, choose the first answer.It is difficult...
ACT English 2.4 Sentence Structure 265 Views
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Description:
ACT English: Sentence Structure Drill 2, Problem 4. Punctuating independent clauses.
Transcript
- 00:03
Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by compound sentences. You can borrow ours
- 00:08
for a few minutes, but they must NOT LEAVE THE COMPOUND.
- 00:13
How should you change the underlined portion below, if at all?
- 00:15
I didn't know which job I wanted, I was too confused to decide.
- 00:26
"I didn't know which job I wanted," and "I was too confused to decide," are both independent
Full Transcript
- 00:31
clauses, perfectly capable of existing on their own.
- 00:34
Although that doesn't seem true of our unemployed speaker.
- 00:37
We can nix choice (A) since our original sentence is a comma splice.
- 00:40
We can tell, because it tries to connect these two independent clauses with nothing more
- 00:44
than a measly little comma.
- 00:45
Choice (B) slams the clauses together without any punctuation at all.
- 00:50
This makes it a run-on sentence and totally incorrect.
- 00:53
© isn't completely off the wall. Semicolons are useful for connecting two independent
- 00:58
clauses. However, (C) adds one ingredient too many with the conjunction "yet."
- 01:03
When we use a semicolon to connect independent clauses, no conjunction is necessary. Therefore,
- 01:11
we can take (C) out of consideration. Choice (D) correctly joins the two clauses
- 01:16
by using both a comma and the coordinating conjunction "and."
- 01:20
This now turns our original comma splice into a respectable compound sentence.
- 01:25
Hopefully, our deadbeat speaker will find a way to become a respectable citizen as well...
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