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Difficulty: EasySentence Fragments

In the context of the passage below, which of the following choices is the best revision of the underlined portion?

The Cassini spacecraft was launched to study Saturn and its moons in 1997. Although it did not reach the planet until 2004.

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. 1997, although it did not reachAnswer
  3. C
    1997; although it did not reach
  4. D
    1997, it did not reach

Answer

The correct answer is the option that replaces the period with a comma to join the dependent clause to the preceding independent clause.
The correct option replaces the period with a comma, which properly connects the dependent clause starting with the subordinating conjunction 'although' to the preceding independent clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the clauses in the passage.
The clause 'The Cassini spacecraft was launched to study Saturn and its moons in 1997' is independent. The clause 'Although it did not reach the planet until 2004' is dependent because it begins with the subordinating conjunction 'Although'.
Understanding clause types is necessary to identify sentence fragments.
2
Evaluate the grammar of the original sentence.
A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. Thus, the original phrasing contains a sentence fragment.
This confirms that a revision is required, ruling out the option to make no change.
3
Compare the remaining options to find the correct punctuation.
A comma is the correct punctuation to join an introductory or trailing dependent clause to an independent clause. A semicolon creates a fragment because the second clause is dependent, and removing the subordinating conjunction while keeping only a comma creates a comma splice.
This ensures the final sentence is grammatically correct and complete.

Key Concept

A dependent clause starting with a subordinating conjunction must be joined to an independent clause with appropriate punctuation, rather than standing alone as a sentence fragment.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Sentence Fragments

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