Film critic Pauline Kael’s reviews are famous for their sharp challenge to the Hollywood establishment ______ she often dismissed the technical constraints directors faced, an oversight modern critics acknowledge.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
establishment but
establishment, but
establishment
establishment,
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The first clause ("Film critic...establishment") is an independent clause, and the second clause ("she often...acknowledge") is also an independent clause. The conjunction "but" is used to connect these two contrasting ideas. According to Standard English conventions, a comma is required before a coordinating conjunction (like "but") when it links two independent clauses.
Choice A is incorrect because it omits the comma before the coordinating conjunction "but," resulting in a run-on sentence. Choice C is incorrect because it fuses two independent clauses without any punctuation or conjunctions, creating a run-on. Choice D is incorrect because it places a comma between two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, creating a comma splice error.