Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumSemicolons

In certain dense forests, the uppermost branches of neighboring trees avoid touching one another, instead, they form a network of distinct, channel-like gaps known as 'crown shyness.'

Which choice most effectively punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    another; because instead, they
  3. another; instead, theyAnswer
  4. D
    another; but instead, they

Answer

The choice that reads 'another; instead, they' is correct because a semicolon is required to separate two independent clauses, and 'instead' must be followed by a comma.
The correct option correctly uses a semicolon to join two closely related independent clauses. The conjunctive adverb 'instead' is correctly followed by a comma to introduce the second clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the two clauses surrounding the underlined portion.
The clause before the underline and the clause after the underline are both independent clauses.
An independent clause contains a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence.
2
Determine the appropriate punctuation and transitions.
Since both clauses are independent, they must be separated by a semicolon (or a comma and coordinating conjunction). The conjunctive adverb 'instead' acts as a transition and must be followed by a comma.
This avoids a comma splice or run-on sentence.

Key Concept

Semicolons are used to link two independent clauses that are closely related in thought, often accompanied by a transitional adverb followed by a comma.
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question

Topics

Semicolons

More questions from this topic