OpenSAT

Question #N1262

The author hopes that the reader will understand the value of learning from mistakes by emphasizing how the speaker has learned from his own experiences. This approach is shown in a paragraph in which the author writes: *The most important thing is to learn from mistakes. *I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve also learned a lot from them. *I’ve learned that it’s okay to fail, and that failing can even be a good thing. *It’s okay to make mistakes, but it’s not okay to give up. *If you’re willing to learn from your mistakes, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.*

Which choice best revises the underlined portion of the passage to create a more effective and concise sentence?

A. The most important thing is to learn from mistakes; I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve also learned a lot from them.

B. The most important thing is to learn from mistakes, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve also learned a lot from them.

C. The most important thing is to learn from mistakes, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve also learned a lot from them.

D. The most important thing is to learn from mistakes—I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I’ve also learned a lot from them.

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Correct Answer is: A

Choice A is the best answer because it uses a semicolon to create two independent clauses. This is a more effective way to join two independent clauses, and it makes the sentence more concise. The other choices use either a comma or a dash, which are not the correct way to join two independent clauses. Choice B uses a comma splice, which is a grammatical error. Choice C uses a comma instead of a semicolon, which is not the correct way to join two independent clauses. Choice D uses a dash, which is not the correct way to join two independent clauses.