Set 11: Boundaries
Explanation
PASSAGE
The artist painted landscapes _______ portraits, and still lifes.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question tests your understanding of sentence boundaries and punctuation. In a list of three items, only the last item needs a comma before 'and.' The text already shows ', and still lifes' so we need 'portraits' without comma after to create proper list flow. To determine the correct answer, examine where complete thoughts begin and end. Look for independent clauses that need proper separation. A period, semicolon, or appropriate conjunction can correctly join or separate these ideas. When analyzing sentence boundaries, pay attention to how ideas flow from one sentence to the next. Correct punctuation ensures clarity and prevents confusion for readers. Review the options carefully to identify which choice creates proper sentence structure.
Key Evidence:
• "list of three items"
• "serial comma before 'and still lifes'"
Why others are wrong: D (Creates double comma: 'landscapes, portraits, portraits, and still lifes.'), A (Creates awkward comma placement; doesn't fit list structure.), C (Semicolon is incorrect within a simple list.).
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