Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyClause Boundaries and Linking

During a 2014 excavation in Egypt, a team of archaeologists discovered a previously unknown tomb containing several well-preserved limestone statues and pottery vessels. The researchers carefully documented the size, placement, and condition of each artifact ______ they did not remove any of the delicate items from the site until the structural integrity of the chamber was fully secured.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. , butAnswer
  2. B
    , however,
  3. C
    but
  4. D
    because

Answer

The option containing a comma followed by the coordinating conjunction 'but'
The correct option uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction 'but' to connect the two independent clauses, establishing a logical contrast between the act of documenting the artifacts and the decision to leave them on-site.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the boundary between the clauses.
The text contains two independent clauses: 'The researchers carefully documented the size, placement, and condition of each artifact' and 'they did not remove any of the delicate items...'
Knowing where the clauses meet helps determine what kind of punctuation or conjunction is needed to link them.
2
Analyze the relationship between the two independent clauses.
The relationship is contrastive, as the researchers performed careful documentation but delayed the physical removal of the items.
This helps select a linking option that is both grammatically correct and logically appropriate.
3
Evaluate the choices for grammatical correctness and meaning.
Only the option with a comma and the coordinating conjunction 'but' correctly and logically links the two independent clauses without creating a comma splice or run-on sentence.
This identifies the correct choice according to Standard English conventions.

Key Concept

Linking independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions and appropriate punctuation.
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question

Topics

Clause Boundaries and Linking

More questions from this topic