Question 12·Hard·Boundaries
Frida Kahlo’s painting _____ a deeply personal work completed shortly after her divorce, juxtaposes dual self-portraits to explore identity and loss.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
First, identify whether the middle phrase is nonessential (appositive). Then choose the option that encloses it with a matching pair of appropriate punctuation without breaking the subject–verb connection; commas are the standard, least emphatic choice for nonrestrictive appositives.
Hints
Spot the appositive
Ask what the phrase "a deeply personal work completed shortly after her divorce" is doing. Is it essential or extra information?
Think in pairs
For nonessential information in the middle of a sentence, the punctuation must come in matching pairs that set it off without interrupting the main clause.
Check the subject–verb link
After removing the appositive, the sentence should read smoothly from subject to verb.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the interrupting phrase
Recognize that "a deeply personal work completed shortly after her divorce" renames or further describes the title The Two Fridas. This makes it a nonrestrictive appositive (extra information).
Apply the rule for nonrestrictive appositives
Nonrestrictive appositives inserted mid-sentence must be enclosed by matching punctuation marks—commas, dashes, or parentheses—without breaking the core subject–verb connection.
Evaluate the choices for correct, matching punctuation
Only the choice that encloses the appositive with a matching pair of commas maintains a clean subject–verb link: "Frida Kahlo’s painting The Two Fridas, a deeply personal work completed shortly after her divorce, juxtaposes..." Therefore, the correct answer is: The Two Fridas, a deeply personal work completed shortly after her divorce,