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Difficulty: EasyRun-on Sentences and Comma Splices

In the late nineteenth century, the invention of the safety bicycle revolutionized personal transportation. Earlier models featured a massive front wheel that made them difficult and dangerous to ride, the new design introduced equal-sized wheels and a chain drive. This innovation made cycling accessible to the general public. As a result, women in particular gained unprecedented mobility and independence.

Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the passage?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. ride. The new designAnswer
  3. C
    ride; because the new design
  4. D
    ride. Because the new design

Answer

The correct choice is the one that replaces the comma with a period and capitalizes the next word: 'ride. The new design'.
The correct option separates the two independent clauses into two distinct sentences using a period and capitalizing the first letter of the next sentence. The first clause, describing the large front wheel of earlier bicycle models, and the second clause, describing the equal-sized wheels and chain drive of the new design, are both complete thoughts that must be separated by appropriate end punctuation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the two clauses separated by the underlined portion.
Clause 1: 'Earlier models featured a massive front wheel that made them difficult and dangerous to ride.' Clause 2: 'The new design introduced equal-sized wheels and a chain drive.'
Determining the clause types is necessary to identify the correct punctuation needed to join or separate them.
2
Evaluate the grammatical function of both clauses.
Both clauses contain a subject and a verb and express a complete thought, meaning they are both independent clauses.
Two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma alone without a coordinating conjunction; doing so creates a comma splice.
3
Select the option that correctly separates or joins these two independent clauses.
Replacing the comma with a period creates two separate, grammatically complete sentences: 'Earlier models featured a massive front wheel that made them difficult and dangerous to ride. The new design introduced equal-sized wheels and a chain drive.'
A period is a grammatically correct way to resolve a comma splice by separating independent clauses.

Key Concept

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

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