Question #N177
The company’s new marketing campaign, which was supposed to increase sales, has actually had the opposite effect. The company’s profits have decreased, _and_ its stock price has fallen.
Which of the following correctly combines the two sentences?Correct Answer is: C
The correct answer is C because it uses the conjunction "and" to join the two independent clauses and a comma to separate them. A comma is used to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Choice A is incorrect because a comma isn’t used to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction. Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses when the second clause explains, illustrates, or summarizes the first clause, which is not the case in this sentence. Choice D is incorrect because the use of "because" results in a dependent clause, making the sentence a comma splice, which is an error.