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Difficulty: MediumRun-on Sentences and Comma Splices

Ancient Roman concrete is renowned for its durability, allowing structures like the Pantheon to remain standing for nearly two thousand years. Unlike modern concrete, which begins to degrade within decades, the Roman mixture contains volcanic ash, this unique ingredient undergoes a chemical reaction with seawater that crystallizes and strengthens the material over time. Because of this self-healing process, the concrete actually grows stronger when exposed to the elements.

Which of the following choices represents the best revision of the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. ash; this unique ingredientAnswer
  3. C
    ash; which, as a unique ingredient,
  4. D
    ash. This unique ingredient, which

Answer

The correct choice is the option that replaces the comma with a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses: 'ash; this unique ingredient'.
The correct choice uses a semicolon to separate two independent clauses: 'the Roman mixture contains volcanic ash' and 'this unique ingredient undergoes a chemical reaction with seawater.' Since both clauses can stand alone as complete sentences, they must be separated by a semicolon, a period, or a comma with a coordinating conjunction.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the boundary between the two clauses in the sentence.
The first clause is 'Unlike modern concrete, which begins to degrade within decades, the Roman mixture contains volcanic ash,' and the second clause is 'this unique ingredient undergoes a chemical reaction with seawater...'
This helps determine if both clauses are independent and if the punctuation between them is correct.
2
Evaluate the grammatical relationship between the two clauses.
Both clauses contain a subject and a verb and can stand alone as complete thoughts, making them independent clauses.
Two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma alone; doing so creates a comma splice.
3
Check the answer options to find the correct punctuation that resolves the comma splice.
The correct revision uses a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses, while the other options either retain the comma splice or create dependent clause fragments.
A semicolon is a standard grammatical way to connect two closely related independent clauses.

Key Concept

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

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