Question the-sh

3.1 Boundaries - Parenthetical punctuation: commas, dashes, parentheses
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The short story “Rogue Enchantments” by Isabel Ibanez appears in Reclaim the blank anthology of fantasy and science fiction written by authors of Latin American descent.

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

A.

Stars. An

B.

Stars, while an

C.

Stars an

D.

Stars, an

The short story “Rogue Enchantments” by Isabel Ibanez appears in Reclaim the ______ blank anthology 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 D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation within a sentence. This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause ("The short...Stars") and the supplementary element ("an anthology...descent") that provides additional information about what Reclaim the Stars is.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with "an anthology." Choice B is incorrect. Joining the main clause and the following supplementary element with the conjunction "while" results in a confusing and ungrammatical sentence. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause and the supplementary element with appropriate punctuation.