Question #N552
The first sentence of the passage provides a brief explanation of the topic. The second sentence elaborates on this explanation, providing more specific information about the topic. The third sentence summarizes the key points of the passage. What type of punctuation does the first sentence of the passage need?
The first sentence of this passage needs which of the following punctuation marks?
A. A comma
B. A semicolon
C. A colon
D. A period
Correct Answer is: D
The first sentence of the passage needs a period because it is a complete sentence that is not followed by a dependent clause. The comma is used to separate items in a series or to separate independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction. The semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses that are closely related. The colon is used to introduce a list, a quotation, or an explanation.