Question #N574
The speaker, after being away for some time, is back in a familiar place, where he is greeted with a chorus of greetings from the residents. The speaker seems happy to be back, and he reflects on how he has changed over the years. The speaker also reflects on how the place has changed.
Which choice best corrects the punctuation error in the sentence?Correct Answer is: D
The sentence contains two independent clauses that should be joined with a semicolon, not a comma. Semicolons are used to separate independent clauses that are closely related in meaning. The independent clauses in this sentence discuss the speaker’s feelings and thoughts about being in a familiar place. Semicolons are also used to separate independent clauses when a conjunction such as "however" or "for example" is used to introduce the second clause. Option A is incorrect because a semicolon should not be used to separate two independent clauses that are not closely related. Option B is incorrect because a comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined without a conjunction or a semicolon. Option C is incorrect because a comma should not be used to separate two independent clauses that are not closely related in meaning.