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Difficulty: HardRun-on Sentences and Comma Splices

Designing a modern concert hall requires a delicate balance of architectural aesthetics and acoustic physics. Sound waves must propagate evenly throughout the space; consequently, excessive reverberation can muddy the music, acoustic consultants must strategically place sound-absorbing panels. These specialized panels tune the room, ensuring that both the softest whisper and the loudest crescendo reach every listener with absolute clarity.

Which choice is grammatically correct and most effectively resolves the sentence structure error?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. space. Consequently, because excessive reverberation can muddy the music, acoustic consultants must strategically place sound-absorbing panels.Answer
  3. C
    space; consequently, because excessive reverberation can muddy the music; acoustic consultants must strategically place sound-absorbing panels.
  4. D
    space, consequently, because excessive reverberation can muddy the music, acoustic consultants must strategically place sound-absorbing panels.

Answer

The correct answer is the option that replaces the semicolon with a period, capitalizes the transition word, and subordinates the clause with the conjunction 'because'.
The correct answer resolves the comma splice by creating two distinct sentences. The first sentence ends with the word 'space'. The second sentence begins with the transition 'Consequently,' followed by a dependent clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'because'. This dependent clause is correctly separated from the main independent clause by a comma.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the original sentence for structural errors.
Identify that the underlined portion contains a comma splice between the independent clauses 'excessive reverberation can muddy the music' and 'acoustic consultants must strategically place sound-absorbing panels.'
Before looking at the choices, the grammatical problem in the original sentence must be diagnosed.
2
Evaluate the choices to find which one resolves the comma splice without creating new errors.
The correct choice must separate or subordinate one of the independent clauses. The option that places a period after 'space' and subordinates the next clause with 'because' creates a grammatically correct structure.
By converting 'excessive reverberation can muddy the music' into a dependent clause starting with 'because', it can be joined to the main independent clause using a comma.

Key Concept

Identifying and correcting run-on sentences and comma splices by using proper punctuation and subordinating or coordinating conjunctions.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

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