Question in-195

3.1 Boundaries - Parenthetical punctuation: commas, dashes, parentheses
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In 1959, marine biologist Dr. Albert Jones founded the Underwater Adventure Seekers, a scuba diving blank that is the oldest club for Black divers in the United States and that has helped thousands of diving enthusiasts become certified in the field.

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

A.

club

B.

club,

C.

club—

D.

club, and

In 1959, marine biologist Dr. Albert Jones founded the Underwater Adventure Seekers, a scuba diving ______

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. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we should not use punctuation to separate it from “scuba diving club.” .

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we should not use a comma (or any kind of punctuation) to separate it from “scuba diving club.” . Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we should not use a dash (or any kind of punctuation) to separate it from “scuba diving club.” . Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence. It makes “that is…United States” into an awkward independent clause, but it also makes “that has…field” into its own awkward independent clause without the correct punctuation separating it.