Question 149·Medium·Boundaries
Biomechanist Daniel Lieberman’s book Exercised analyzes how physical activity affects human health throughout the life span. The book, according to _____ offers readers a nuanced perspective on why we move the way we do.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For punctuation boundary questions, first strip out any interrupting phrases to see the core sentence, then decide whether the interrupting part is essential or extra. If it is extra (nonessential), it should be surrounded by matching punctuation—commas with commas, dashes with dashes, or parentheses with parentheses. Next, apply specific rules: a colon must follow a complete sentence and introduce something; dashes usually show a strong break or come in pairs. Eliminate any choices that break these rules or create mismatched punctuation around the interruption.
Hints
Find the main sentence
Try reading the second sentence without the words "according to _____" and see what the core subject and verb are.
Identify the role of "according to _____"
Ask yourself: Are these words essential to the meaning of the sentence, or are they extra information about where the idea comes from?
Match the punctuation around the interruption
Look at the comma before "according to." What kind of punctuation usually appears after a short interrupting phrase like this to return to the main part of the sentence?
Use rules for colon and dash
Remember: a colon normally follows a complete statement and introduces a list or explanation, and a dash typically shows a strong break or comes in pairs to set off an interruption. Decide whether either of those uses fits here.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
Read the sentence without the interrupting phrase:
"Biomechanist Daniel Lieberman’s book Exercised analyzes how physical activity affects human health throughout the life span. The book offers readers a nuanced perspective on why we move the way we do."
The core of the second sentence is "The book offers readers a nuanced perspective..." The words "according to _____" are extra information interrupting this core sentence.
Recognize the interrupting (nonessential) phrase
In the test sentence, we have:
"The book, according to _____ offers readers..."
The phrase "according to _____" is nonessential information (it can be removed and the sentence still makes sense). Nonessential or interrupting phrases that are set off with commas must have matching punctuation on both sides:
- "The book, according to [name], offers readers..."
There is already a comma before "according to," so we need punctuation after the name that matches that comma and cleanly returns to the main clause.
Apply punctuation rules and choose the matching mark
For an interrupting phrase:
- Commas are used in pairs to set off nonessential information.
- A colon (:) must follow a complete sentence and introduce a list, explanation, or example, which is not the case here.
- A dash (—) can set off information, but it should be used in pairs or to create a strong break, and it would not correctly match the opening comma.
Because we already have a comma before "according to" and we need to close the interruption in a consistent, standard way, the correct choice is B) Lieberman,.