Maria sat _______ as the protagonist in the movie walked into the haunted house alone.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
there, terrified,
there terrified,
there; terrified,
there, terrified
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. The adjective "terrified" acts as a nonrestrictive modifier describing Maria's state. It is an interrupter that should be set off by commas.
Choice B is incorrect because it is missing the comma before "terrified." Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon is too strong a break here and incorrectly separates the modifier. Choice D is incorrect because it is missing the comma after "terrified" (if the sentence continued), or simply because "there, terrified," implies a pause that reflects the structure of the modifier.