SAT OwlThe Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It covers about 9 million square ______ an area nearly as large as the United States.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
kilometers;
kilometers,
kilometers. And
kilometers and
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
"An area nearly as large as the United States" is a phrase that renames "9 million square kilometers." A comma correctly sets off this descriptive phrase at the end of the sentence. A semicolon would require an independent clause after it, and the phrase has no verb.
Choice A uses a semicolon, but the words after the blank are not an independent clause.
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