Question #N683
A group of students are preparing a presentation on the history of the United States. They want to include a section on the American Revolution, and they’ve written the following sentence in their script: “The American Revolution was a complex period in which many changes occurred, such as the formation of a new government and the adoption of a new constitution.”
Which of the following revisions of the sentence above is the most effective?
A. The American Revolution was a complex period in which many changes occurred—for example, the formation of a new government and the adoption of a new constitution.
B. The American Revolution was a complex period, in which many changes occurred, such as the formation of a new government and the adoption of a new constitution.
C. The American Revolution was a complex period, with many changes, including the formation of a new government and the adoption of a new constitution.
D. The American Revolution was a complex period, because many changes occurred, such as the formation of a new government and the adoption of a new constitution.
Correct Answer is: A
Choice A is the most effective revision of the sentence. It uses the correct punctuation for an appositive phrase, which is a phrase that renames a noun or pronoun. The other choices either use incorrect punctuation or make the sentence unnecessarily wordy.