SAT OwlMedieval builders prized stained glass because it filled dim churches with colored light. The stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral in ______ date mostly from the early 1200s, and many of them still contain their original glass.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
France
France,
France;
France:
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
The subject is "The stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral in France," and the verb is "date." No punctuation should come between a subject and its verb.
Choice B may seem to mark a natural pause after a long subject, but a single comma cannot separate a subject from its verb.
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. A comma cannot separate a subject from its verb, even if the subject is long. This punctuation incorrectly breaks the connection between the windows and the verb date.
- C. A semicolon is used to join independent clauses or separate items in a list. It is incorrect to place one between a subject and its verb.
- D. A colon introduces a list, explanation, or quotation. It does not belong between a subject and its verb in a simple sentence structure.
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