Question #N1038
It was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled outside, rattling the windows. Inside, the old mansion was eerily silent. A single candle flickered on the table, casting long shadows across the walls. The only sound was the creaking of the floorboards as I crept down the hallway.
Which choice best describes the punctuation error in the sentence *The only sound was the creaking of the floorboards as I crept down the hallway.*?
A. The sentence contains an unnecessary comma after "sound."
B. The sentence requires a comma after "sound" to separate the main clause from the dependent clause.
C. The sentence requires a semicolon after "sound" to separate the two independent clauses.
D. The sentence contains no punctuation errors.
Correct Answer is: B
The sentence contains a dependent clause (as I crept down the hallway) that follows the main clause (The only sound was the creaking of the floorboards). A comma is needed to separate the main clause from the dependent clause.