Question #N158
“The book was not simply about the American Civil War,” argues historian Samuel Truett, “it was about the experience of Black men in the South, their lives, and the ways in which they were forced to change to survive.”Â
Which choice best combines the sentences at the underlined portion so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. it was about the experience of Black men in the South, their lives, and the ways in which they were forced to change to survive
B. it was about the experience of Black men in the South; their lives, and the ways in which they were forced to change to survive
C. it was about the experience of Black men in the South: their lives, and the ways in which they were forced to change to survive
D. it was about the experience of Black men in the South, their lives and the ways in which they were forced to change to survive
Correct Answer is: D
The best way to combine the sentences is to use a comma to separate the two independent clauses. Choice A creates a run-on sentence because it doesn’t include any punctuation between the clauses. Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses. Choice C is incorrect because a colon can’t be used to join two main clauses in this way.