Many cultures have developed unique forms of storytelling, and the ways in which these stories are told vary widely. For example, in some cultures, stories are told orally, while in others, stories are written down. Stories can also be passed down through generations, and they can be adapted or changed as they are passed on. Whatever form they take, however, stories have the power to transport us to other places and times. What is the best way to combine the sentences in this paragraph?
Which choice combines the sentences in the paragraph in a way that is both grammatically correct and stylistically effective?
A. Many cultures have developed unique forms of storytelling, and the ways in which these stories are told vary widely; for example, in some cultures, stories are told orally, while in others, stories are written down. Stories can also be passed down through generations, and they can be adapted or changed as they are passed on. Whatever form they take, however, stories have the power to transport us to other places and times.
B. Many cultures have developed unique forms of storytelling, and the ways in which these stories are told vary widely: for example, in some cultures, stories are told orally, while in others, stories are written down. Stories can also be passed down through generations, and they can be adapted or changed as they are passed on. Whatever form they take, however, stories have the power to transport us to other places and times.
C. Many cultures have developed unique forms of storytelling, and the ways in which these stories are told vary widely; for example, in some cultures, stories are told orally, while in others, they are written down; stories can also be passed down through generations, and they can be adapted or changed as they are passed on. Whatever form they take, however, stories have the power to transport us to other places and times.
D. Many cultures have developed unique forms of storytelling, and the ways in which these stories are told vary widely. For example, in some cultures, stories are told orally, while in others, stories are written down. Stories can also be passed down through generations, and they can be adapted or changed as they are passed on; whatever form they take, however, stories have the power to transport us to other places and times.
The best way to combine the sentences in the paragraph is to use a semicolon to connect the first two sentences because the second sentence provides an example of the idea presented in the first. The semicolon is also used correctly to connect the third and fourth sentences because the fourth sentence continues the idea from the third. A semicolon is used to connect closely related independent clauses. A comma splice is when two independent clauses are connected with only a comma, which creates a grammatical error. A comma splice is also created when a comma is used incorrectly before a coordinating conjunction. A comma followed by a coordinating conjunction can be used correctly to connect two independent clauses but not when the two clauses are not closely related. A colon can be used to introduce a list but is not the correct choice here because the second sentence is not a list. The semicolon is the most effective way to connect the sentences in this paragraph.