Question #N766
A new study shows that despite the prevalence of social media in the modern world, there is a growing number of people who do not use social media at all. This trend can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the rise of privacy concerns, the spread of misinformation, and the increasing pressure to maintain a perfect online image. But even those who do not use social media still benefit from the technologies that power it. For example, many people rely on GPS for navigation, which is a technology that was developed for the military. And the same technology that makes it possible to stream videos online also makes it possible to track the movement of goods across the globe. So, while social media continues to evolve, it is important to recognize that it is only one part of a larger technological ecosystem. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?Correct Answer is: B
The best answer is B. The comma after “and” is correct because the clause “even though social media continues to evolve” is a nonessential dependent clause and thus requires a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence. No punctuation is needed after the dependent clause because it is followed by an independent clause. The semicolon in choice C incorrectly separates two independent clauses. In choice D, the comma after “evolve” is incorrect because the clause is a dependent clause and doesn’t need a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence. Choice A is incorrect because it includes a comma splice. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined together by a comma without a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon.