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Question

Difficulty: EasyColons

When designing a modern skyscraper, architects must consider several environmental factors: wind resistance, solar heat gain, and seismic activity.

Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    factors; wind
  3. C
    factors, including: wind
  4. D
    factors, wind

Answer

The correct answer is the option that keeps the original punctuation (NO CHANGE) because a colon is the proper way to introduce a list after a complete independent clause.
The original punctuation is correct because the sentence before the colon is a complete, independent clause, and the colon is properly used to introduce a list of factors that clarify the statement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the clause before the punctuation is independent.
The clause 'When designing a modern skyscraper, architects must consider several environmental factors' is independent because it contains a subject and a verb and forms a complete thought.
Colons must be preceded by an independent clause.
2
Analyze what follows the punctuation mark.
The phrase 'wind resistance, solar heat gain, and seismic activity' is a list of noun phrases (not a complete clause).
This rules out a semicolon, which must separate two independent clauses, and makes a colon the correct choice to introduce the list.
3
Evaluate the option containing the word 'including'.
Adding 'including' right before a colon is grammatically incorrect because it disrupts the flow and makes the preceding clause dependent/incomplete.
Colons cannot be placed directly after verbs or prepositions like 'including'.

Key Concept

Colons
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Topics

Colons

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