Question #N1301
Which choice correctly punctuates the following sentence: "The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature, delivered a lecture on the works of Shakespeare, but the students seemed disinterested."
A. The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature, delivered a lecture on the works of Shakespeare but the students seemed disinterested.
B. The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature, delivered a lecture on the works of Shakespeare, but the students seemed disinterested.
C. The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature, delivered a lecture on the works of Shakespeare; but the students seemed disinterested.
D. The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature delivered a lecture on the works of Shakespeare, but the students seemed disinterested.
Correct Answer is: B
A comma is needed to separate the introductory phrase "The professor, an expert in Renaissance literature" from the rest of the sentence. A comma is also needed before the coordinating conjunction "but" to separate the two independent clauses.