Typically, underlines, scribbles, and notes left in the margins by a former owner lower a book’s ______ blank when the

Question

Typically, underlines, scribbles, and notes left in the margins by a former owner lower a book’s blank when the former owner is a famous poet like Walt Whitman, such markings, known as marginalia, can be a gold mine to literary scholars.

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

Accepted Answer

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of independent clauses within a sentence. An independent clause is a phrase containing a subject and a verb that can stand on its own as a sentence. This choice uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction &ldquo;but&rdquo; to join the first independent clause (&ldquo;underlines...lower a book&rsquo;s value&rdquo;) and the second independent clause (&ldquo;such markings...can be a gold mine to scholars&rdquo;) to create a compound sentence. Choice B is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two independent clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can&rsquo;t be used in this way to mark the boundary between two independent clauses. Choice D is incorrect because a comma is needed to mark the boundary between two coordinated independent clauses.

Question 869458