Question 157·Easy·Boundaries
The committee expected to conclude the negotiations by _____ however, several unexpected delays pushed the timetable into the fall.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundaries questions, first determine whether the words before and after the blank form independent clauses. If they do and the second clause begins with a conjunctive adverb like "however," you typically need a semicolon (or a period) before the conjunctive adverb and a comma after it. Eliminate commas (comma splices), colons used for the wrong relationship, and coordinating conjunctions that create double-connector errors.
Hints
Check for complete sentences
Cover the blank and read what comes before it, then what comes after "however." Do both parts contain a subject and a verb and express complete thoughts?
Focus on "however"
"However" signals contrast and often functions as a conjunctive adverb. When it sits between two complete clauses, what punctuation usually comes right before it?
Eliminate punctuation that is too weak or the wrong type
Rule out any option that makes a comma splice, uses a colon for a contrast, or creates an awkward double-connector (like combining "and" with "however").
Step-by-step Explanation
Check the structure on both sides of the blank
Read the text around the blank:
- Before the blank: "The committee expected to conclude the negotiations by ___" becomes complete once the missing word is supplied.
- After the blank: "however, several unexpected delays pushed the timetable into the fall" contains an independent clause: "several unexpected delays pushed the timetable into the fall."
The sentence is trying to connect two independent clauses, with "however" introducing the second clause.
Use the correct punctuation with a conjunctive adverb
"However" is a conjunctive adverb (a transition), not a coordinating conjunction.
When a conjunctive adverb links two independent clauses in one sentence, you typically use:
- a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb, and
- a comma after it.
So you need a choice that ends the first independent clause correctly before "however."
Eliminate choices that create comma splices or the wrong relationship
Test the options in context:
- "midsummer," creates a comma splice because it separates two independent clauses with only a comma.
- "midsummer:" is used to introduce an explanation/list; the second clause contrasts with the first and is already signaled by "however," so a colon is not appropriate.
- "midsummer and" produces "...by midsummer and however,...," which is an ungrammatical double-connector structure.
Therefore, the correct choice is midsummer;.