Question 100·Easy·Boundaries
Many frogs rely on vocalizations to communicate with mates and rivals. The spring peeper emits a piercing call that can be heard up to half a _____ the bullfrog produces a deep booming croak that carries over similar distances.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundary questions, identify what comes before and after the blank and decide whether you’re connecting ideas within one sentence or separating them into two. Then match punctuation to structure: colons introduce explanations/lists, semicolons link independent clauses without a subordinating conjunction, and periods create a new sentence (risking fragments when the next part begins with a dependent-clause word). Finally, read the completed sentence to confirm it sounds complete and standard.
Hints
Check if each side of the blank is a full sentence
Read the words before and after the blank and ask: does each side have its own subject and verb and make sense by itself?
Think about how the two ideas are related
Is the second clause explaining, listing, or contrasting the first? Your punctuation and connector should match that relationship.
Match the punctuation to the connector
When a clause begins with a word like "whereas," what punctuation is typically used right before it in the middle of a sentence?
Consider sentence fragments
If you choose an option that creates a new sentence starting with "Whereas," ask whether that new sentence would be complete by itself.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the clauses around the blank
Read the sentence with the blank:
- Up to the blank: "The spring peeper emits a piercing call that can be heard up to half a _____"
- After the blank: "the bullfrog produces a deep booming croak that carries over similar distances."
Notice that the words before the blank end with "half a," so the sentence is not complete until the blank provides "mile" (plus punctuation/connector). After the blank, the writer introduces the bullfrog to set up a contrast.
Identify the relationship and the role of "whereas"
The writer is contrasting two frogs and their calls. The word "whereas" is used to introduce a contrasting clause (it functions as a subordinating conjunction).
Eliminate punctuation that creates nonstandard structure
Check what each punctuation mark would do here:
- A colon typically introduces an explanation or example, and it’s not standard to place a colon immediately before a subordinating conjunction like "whereas."
- A semicolon separates two independent clauses without a subordinating conjunction; using a semicolon right before "whereas" is not standard.
- A period would start a new sentence with "Whereas," which usually creates a dependent-clause fragment unless it is followed by another clause to complete the structure (e.g., "Whereas X, Y").
Choose the option that forms a complete, standard sentence
The remaining option correctly keeps the contrast in one sentence and uses standard punctuation before a clause introduced by "whereas": "mile, whereas".