Question 248·Medium·Boundaries
The new recycling initiative, launched last April, aims to reduce the city’s landfill waste by almost 40 percent within five years; according to project coordinator Maya _____ it will also save the municipality nearly $200,000 annually.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For mid-sentence punctuation questions, first identify the clause structure: find the subject and verb of the main clause and see whether the words around the blank form an introductory phrase, part of that clause, or a separate clause. Then choose punctuation that matches the grammar, not the “sound”: semicolons must sit between two independent clauses, commas often follow longer introductory phrases, and colons and dashes create stronger breaks that are only correct when they clearly introduce or interrupt ideas. Always check that the punctuation you pick is the least dramatic mark that still follows the rules.
Hints
Look at the phrase around the blank
Focus on the words right before and after the blank: "according to project coordinator Maya Jacobs _____ it will also save..." What kind of phrase is this, and how is it connecting to the rest of the sentence?
Identify the main clause
Find where the main statement (subject + verb) begins after the blank. How does that affect how we should punctuate after "Jacobs"?
Think about introductory phrases
If a sentence begins with something like "According to [person] ...", what punctuation usually comes right after the person's name before the main part of the sentence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
Read the whole sentence and notice that there is a semicolon before the blank:
"...within five years; according to project coordinator Maya Jacobs _____ it will also save the municipality nearly $200,000 annually."
The part after the semicolon, "it will also save the municipality nearly $200,000 annually," is a complete sentence (an independent clause). The words "according to project coordinator Maya Jacobs" come before that clause and act as an introductory phrase.
Identify the role of the phrase before the blank
The phrase "according to project coordinator Maya Jacobs" tells us the source of the information. This kind of phrase is called an introductory phrase because it comes before the main clause and sets it up.
In standard English, an introductory phrase like this is usually separated from the main clause by a comma to make the sentence clear and easy to read.
Match the punctuation to the grammar
Right after "Maya Jacobs," we immediately get the subject and verb of the main clause: "it will also save..." That means we do not want to end the sentence or create a strong break there; we just want a normal separation between the introductory phrase and the main clause.
So we need punctuation that:
- Does not end the sentence.
- Does not create an overly strong or dramatic break.
- Correctly separates an introductory phrase from the main clause.
This description matches a comma, not a colon, dash, or no punctuation.
Select the answer that uses the correct punctuation
Now compare the choices:
- One choice has no punctuation after "Jacobs" (runs the introductory phrase directly into the main clause).
- One uses a colon after "Jacobs".
- One uses a dash after "Jacobs".
- One uses a comma after "Jacobs".
The only option that correctly separates the introductory phrase from the main clause in standard English is the one with the comma. Therefore, the correct answer is B) Jacobs,.