SAT Reading and Writing: Chile Electrification Punctuation
A Standard English Conventions question on punctuation and sentence boundaries in a complex list of historical milestones.
Question
The story of Chile’s electrification is perhaps most readily understood by studying developments in several key years: 1916, when engineer Arturo Salazar attended the Pan-American Scientific Conference; 1936, when the study entitled “Política eléctrica chilena” was ______ 1943, when the national electrical plan was finalized.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Step-by-Step Solution
Identify how the list of years is punctuated before choosing the blank.
1Identify the sentence pattern.
The sentence lists three year-clauses in parallel: 1916, when…; 1936, when… was ______; and 1943, when…. The blank must connect the second and third major items correctly.
2Test each boundary.
Choice B leaves two independent clauses run together. Choice C creates a sentence fragment with a capitalized “And” after a period inside the list. Choice D uses only a comma between major clauses, which is too weak here.
3Select the correct punctuation.
Choice A uses a semicolon before and to separate the second complex item from the third, which matches SAT conventions for a list of lengthy clauses. The answer is A.