Question #N1053
The following text is a passage from a well-known novel. "I have the right to tell my story, to tell it as I see fit."
Which choice best corrects the punctuation error in the passage?
A. I have the right to tell my story, to tell it as I see fit.
B. I have the right to tell my story to tell it as I see fit.
C. I have the right to tell my story: to tell it as I see fit.
D. I have the right to tell my story; to tell it as I see fit.
Correct Answer is: A
The sentence contains two independent clauses, which can be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction. The original sentence is incorrect because it is a comma splice, which is an error that occurs when two independent clauses are joined only by a comma. The correct punctuation to join the two clauses is a comma followed by a conjunction like "and" or "but." The choice "I have the right to tell my story, to tell it as I see fit" is the only choice that correctly punctuates the two clauses.