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Difficulty: MediumSentence Fragments

At the Mayan pyramid of El Castillo in Chichen Itza, a handclap at the base of the staircase creates an echo that mimics the chirp of a quetzal bird. This acoustic phenomenon, which occurs because the steps are spaced in a way that filters sound waves, and engineers have studied this design to understand ancient Mesoamerican sound engineering.

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

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. This acoustic phenomenon occurs because the steps are spaced in a way that filters sound waves; engineersAnswer
  3. C
    This acoustic phenomenon occurs because the steps are spaced in a way that filters sound waves, engineers
  4. D
    This acoustic phenomenon, which occurs because the steps are spaced in a way that filters sound waves; engineers

Answer

The choice that uses a semicolon to connect the two independent clauses: 'This acoustic phenomenon occurs because the steps are spaced in a way that filters sound waves; engineers'
The correct choice removes the relative pronoun and the coordinating conjunction, transforming the first part of the sentence into a complete independent clause. It then uses a semicolon to correctly join this clause with the second independent clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical structure of the underlined portion in the context of the sentence.
The phrase contains a relative pronoun and a coordinating conjunction, which prevents the main subject from having a main verb and leaves it as a fragment.
Recognizing the fragment is necessary to understand what correction is needed.
2
Evaluate the choices to determine how to create a complete sentence.
Removing the relative pronoun and the coordinating conjunction allows the first clause to become independent, but requires correct punctuation to join it with the subsequent independent clause.
Two independent clauses must be joined by a semicolon or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.
3
Check punctuation rules for the remaining options.
A semicolon is the correct punctuation to join the two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
A comma alone results in a comma splice, and a semicolon after a relative clause results in a fragment.

Key Concept

Avoiding sentence fragments by ensuring every independent clause contains a subject and a verb, and that multiple independent clauses are punctuated correctly.
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Topics

Sentence Fragments

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