Question the-li
The life spans of rockfish vary greatly by species. For instance, the colorful calico rockfish (Sebastes dallii) can survive for a little over a blank the rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianus) boasts a maximum life span of about two centuries.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
decade: while
decade. While
decade; while
decade, while
The life spans of rockfish vary greatly by species. For instance, the colorful calico rockfish (
Medium-difficulty · SAT Reading & Writing · Boundaries — Coordination vs subordination for clarity. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.
Answer explanation
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a main clause and a subordinate clause. This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause ("the colorful…decade") and the subordinate clause ("while…centuries") that provides contrasting information about the life span of rougheye rockfish.
Choice A is incorrect because a colon can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a subordinate clause. Choice B is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with "while." Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a subordinate clause.
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