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ACT English 1.1 Passage Drill 248 Views


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ACT English: Passage Drill Drill 1, Problem 1. Conjunctive Adverbs.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by coconuts.

00:06

Early explorers were disappointed to discover no chocolate inside.

00:14

Check out the passage. Read it.

00:24

How would you correct this underlined segment from the passage, if at all?

00:27

classification however

00:30

And here are the potential answers:

00:34

The key to getting this question right is knowing that "however" is a conjunctive adverb.

00:40

It's the job of conjunctive adverbs to relate the ideas of independent clauses, which are

00:46

clauses that can stand on their own as complete sentences.

00:51

There are very specific rules about how to punctuate when using "however" and other conjunctive

00:56

adverbs, like "nevertheless," "thus," and "consequently."

00:59

If we don't follow these rules, we usually end up with run-on sentences, which is no bueno.

01:04

For example, we can eliminate choice (A) for not using any punctuation at all.

01:09

We can't go around slapping independent clauses together without using punctuation.

01:13

If we did, all compound sentences would be run-ons, thoughts and ideas would mush together,

01:18

nobody would know what anyone else was saying, and society would descend into anarchy.

01:23

We think it's best to avoid such things, so we'll nix (A) before it causes any more trouble.

01:28

Choice (D) does a little bit better by placing a comma after "however."

01:31

It is always necessary to place a comma after a conjunctive adverb, whether it's connecting

01:36

two independent clauses, or kicking off an individual sentence.

01:40

However, comma, choice (D) still turns this sentence into a run-on by not placing any

01:44

punctuation before the word "however."

01:47

Therefore, comma, we'll get rid of it before chaos ensues.

01:51

Like (D), choice (C) correctly places a comma after "however."

01:55

It veers off the road, though, when it places a comma before the conjunctive adverb. If

01:59

we want to use a conjunctive adverb to join two independent clauses, it's always necessary

02:03

to use a semicolon.

02:05

Commas just don't cut it, and neither does choice (C).

02:07

The only option that correctly punctuates the sentence is (B).

02:10

Here, a comma follows "however," and a period divides the two independent clauses.

02:15

At long last, we're safe from the danger of run-ons.

02:18

At least for now...

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