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Question

Difficulty: MediumRun-on Sentences and Comma Splices

Choose the alternative that best replaces the underlined portion of the passage.

The chinampas of ancient Mesoamerica were highly productive agricultural systems built on shallow lake beds. By layering mud, decaying vegetation, and reeds, Aztec farmers constructed rectangular plots of fertile land, they grew maize, beans, and squash in abundance. Willow trees were often planted at the corners of these plots to anchor the soil with their roots.

Which of the following options is the most grammatically correct replacement for the underlined text?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    land; where they grew
  3. land, where they grewAnswer
  4. D
    land. Because they grew

Answer

The option that reads 'land, where they grew' is correct because it avoids both comma splices and fragments by creating a grammatically correct dependent clause.
The correct option resolves the comma splice by converting the second independent clause into a dependent relative clause introduced by the relative adverb 'where' and preceded by a comma.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause structure of the original sentence.
The sentence contains two independent clauses: 'Aztec farmers constructed rectangular plots of fertile land' and 'they grew maize, beans, and squash in abundance.'
To determine if there is a run-on or comma splice error, we must identify the boundaries and types of clauses present.
2
Evaluate the punctuation separating the two clauses in the original sentence.
The two clauses are separated by only a comma, which constitutes a comma splice.
An independent clause cannot be joined to another independent clause with only a comma.
3
Evaluate the choices to find a grammatically correct way to join or separate the clauses.
Using 'land, where they grew' transforms the second clause into a dependent relative clause, which is correctly joined to the first clause with a comma.
This punctuation change resolves the comma splice without introducing fragments or other errors.

Key Concept

Identifying and correcting comma splices by changing clause types or using appropriate punctuation.
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Topics

Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices

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