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ACT English: Punctuation Drill 2, Problem 3. Where does the semicolon fit best?
ACT English: Punctuation Drill 3, Problem 4. Which choice best formats this list of items?
ACT English: Punctuation Drill 2, Problem 5. Which choice indicates the best place for a semi-colon in the sentence?
Place the Semi-Colon! 400 Views
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ACT English: Punctuation Drill 2, Problem 5. Which choice indicates the best place for a semi-colon in the sentence?
Transcript
- 00:03
Here's your shmoop du jour, brought to you by Global Warming. Bringing the tropics to
- 00:08
you. Should save you a bundle on airfare. Rainfall amounts in the United States have
- 00:14
become a recent concern in fact; the concern for America's rainfall has led to an awareness
- 00:21
of global warming.
- 00:32
Global warming is a major bummer. But an equally major bummer is the blatant misuse of semicolons
Full Transcript
- 00:37
and commas in this sentence. Here are the three places the semicolons are used.
- 00:42
By now we're awesome at dealing with sentences containing semicolons. There's nothing "semi"
- 00:47
about the sentence's individual parts.
- 00:49
They're full-fledged independent clauses or sentences, so for our purposes, you should
- 00:53
be able to read a full sentence on either side of them.
- 00:55
Let's check out the position of the semicolon suggested by choice D.
- 01:00
Before the semicolon, "Rainfall amounts in the United States" isn't a full sentence,
- 01:04
so this one doesn't work. Awkward. What about A? The first part of the
- 01:09
sentence would read: Rainfall amounts in the United States have become a recent concern
- 01:13
in fact. That makes about as much sense as "walrus
- 01:17
unicorn jelly rubber duckies." And that's saying something.
- 01:21
There's only one place left we could possibly put the comma. And it makes sense because
- 01:24
it takes out the "in fact" from the previous sentence.
- 01:27
Now the only difference between B and C is the comma.
- 01:30
Should a comma go after "in fact?" In fact, it should.
- 01:34
"In fact" is an introductory modifier at the beginning of that sentence.
- 01:38
The sentence works without it, but it makes more sense and flows better if you include
- 01:43
it. Speaking of flowing better, anyone up for
- 01:45
a canoe trip along the North Pole River?
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