SAT OwlA recent museum exhibition featured the work of three American photographers: Gordon Parks, who documented American life for Life magazine______ Dorothea Lange, known for her images of the Great Depression; and Ansel Adams, famous for his photographs of the American West.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
,
;
:
(no punctuation)
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Each item in this list contains its own internal comma (for example, "Gordon Parks, who documented..."). When list items contain commas, semicolons separate the items so the reader can tell where each one ends. The sentence already uses a semicolon before "and Ansel Adams," so a semicolon is needed after the first item as well.
Choice A seems natural for a list, but because the items contain their own commas, a comma here would blur where the first item ends.
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