Question 244·Easy·Boundaries
The excitement of preparing for the festival had energized the entire _____ the sudden downpour forced organizers to postpone the outdoor events.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For sentence-boundary questions, first test whether the text before and after the blank can stand alone as complete sentences. If both are independent clauses, use either a semicolon or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS). Eliminate any choice that creates a comma splice, a run-on, or adds unnecessary punctuation.
Hints
Check each side of the blank
Read the words before and after the blank. Can each side stand alone as a complete sentence with a subject and a verb?
Think about clause-joining rules
If both sides are complete sentences, what are the standard, grammatically correct ways to connect them in one sentence?
Notice the relationship between the ideas
The first part is about excitement and energy; the second is about a problem (a downpour). What kind of relationship is that—similar, opposite, cause/effect?
Match punctuation to both grammar and meaning
Choose the option that both (1) correctly links two independent clauses and (2) clearly shows the contrast between the two ideas.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the clauses around the blank
Read each side of the blank as if it were its own sentence:
- "The excitement of preparing for the festival had energized the entire town" — this is a complete sentence (independent clause).
- "the sudden downpour forced organizers to postpone the outdoor events" — this is also a complete sentence (independent clause).
So, we are joining two independent clauses.
Recall how to correctly join two independent clauses
In Standard English on the SAT, correct ways to join two independent clauses include:
- A comma plus a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
- A semicolon (with no extra comma).
Other patterns (like just a comma, or incorrect extra punctuation) create errors.
Match the meaning: show contrast
The first clause is positive (energized and excited), and the second clause is negative (a downpour postpones events). We need a clear contrast.
The word "but" shows contrast, so we want an option that includes "but" and uses correct punctuation to join the clauses.
Check each choice against the rules
Test the options:
- "town but" joins two independent clauses without the comma needed before a coordinating conjunction: incorrect.
- "town; but," adds an unnecessary comma after "but" ("but, the sudden downpour...") creating incorrect punctuation: incorrect.
- "town," uses only a comma between two independent clauses, creating a comma splice: incorrect.
The only option that correctly joins two independent clauses and clearly shows contrast is "town, but".