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ACT English 2.4 Sentence Structure 265 Views


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Description:

ACT English: Sentence Structure Drill 2, Problem 4. Punctuating independent clauses.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by compound sentences. You can borrow ours

00:08

for a few minutes, but they must NOT LEAVE THE COMPOUND.

00:13

How should you change the underlined portion below, if at all?

00:15

I didn't know which job I wanted, I was too confused to decide.

00:26

"I didn't know which job I wanted," and "I was too confused to decide," are both independent

00:31

clauses, perfectly capable of existing on their own.

00:34

Although that doesn't seem true of our unemployed speaker.

00:37

We can nix choice (A) since our original sentence is a comma splice.

00:40

We can tell, because it tries to connect these two independent clauses with nothing more

00:44

than a measly little comma.

00:45

Choice (B) slams the clauses together without any punctuation at all.

00:50

This makes it a run-on sentence and totally incorrect.

00:53

© isn't completely off the wall. Semicolons are useful for connecting two independent

00:58

clauses. However, (C) adds one ingredient too many with the conjunction "yet."

01:03

When we use a semicolon to connect independent clauses, no conjunction is necessary. Therefore,

01:11

we can take (C) out of consideration. Choice (D) correctly joins the two clauses

01:16

by using both a comma and the coordinating conjunction "and."

01:20

This now turns our original comma splice into a respectable compound sentence.

01:25

Hopefully, our deadbeat speaker will find a way to become a respectable citizen as well...

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