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Question

Difficulty: MediumCommas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

The novel turbine design significantly reduced noise pollution during field trials, yet engineers continued to refine the blade geometry to maximize energy capture.

Which of the following choices produces a grammatically correct sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    yet engineers continued to refine the blade geometry, to maximize energy capture.
  3. C
    yet engineers continued to refine the blade geometry; to maximize energy capture.
  4. D
    , engineers continued to refine the blade geometry to maximize energy capture.

Answer

The original phrasing 'NO CHANGE' is correct because a comma combined with the coordinating conjunction 'yet' accurately and efficiently joins two complete independent clauses.
The original phrasing correctly uses a comma preceding the coordinating conjunction 'yet' to link two complete independent clauses. The clause following the conjunction flows naturally into the infinitive phrase without requiring additional punctuation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause structure of the sentence.
The sentence consists of two independent clauses: 'The novel turbine design significantly reduced noise pollution during field trials' and 'engineers continued to refine the blade geometry to maximize energy capture.'
Determining whether the clauses can stand alone establishes the punctuation rules required to link them.
2
Evaluate the conjunction and punctuation connecting the clauses.
The coordinating conjunction 'yet' is preceded by a comma, which is the standard rule for joining two independent clauses.
A comma followed by a FANBOYS conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) correctly joins independent clauses.
3
Check for unnecessary punctuation in the remaining phrase.
The infinitive phrase 'to maximize energy capture' explains the purpose of refining the geometry and should not be separated by a comma or semicolon.
Essential modifying phrases that complete the thought of a clause should flow without nonessential punctuation boundaries.

Key Concept

Joining Independent Clauses with Coordinating Conjunctions
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Topics

Commas with Lists, Clauses, and Coordinate Adjectives

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