Question genera
Generations of mystery and horror blank have been influenced by the dark, gothic stories of celebrated American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849).
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
writers
writers,
writers—
writers;
Generations of mystery and horror ______ blank have been influenced by the dark, gothic stories of
Medium-difficulty · SAT Reading & Writing · Boundaries — Parenthetical punctuation: commas, dashes, parentheses. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.
Answer explanation
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a subject and a verb. When, as in this case, a subject (“Generations of mystery and horror writers”) is immediately followed by a verb (“have been influenced”), no punctuation is needed.
Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the subject and the verb. Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the subject and the verb. Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the subject and the verb.
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