Set 8: Boundaries (Intermediate)
Explanation
PASSAGE
The artist exhibited her _______ abstracts and portraits, at the downtown gallery.
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. 'Including abstracts and portraits' is a parenthetical interruption. Em dashes work well for inserting such information. 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:
• "parenthetical"
• "em dash pair"
Why others are wrong: C (Comma doesn't match the closing comma after 'portraits.'), D (Colon doesn't have matching closure.), A (Semicolon creates an incorrect break.).
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