Question 59·Medium·Boundaries
Although rain had been forecast for the afternoon, the skies remained _____ the outdoor concert proceeded without interruption.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For sentence-boundary questions, first determine whether the parts on each side of the blank are independent clauses. Then apply the core rules: use a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) to join two independent clauses; use a semicolon to join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction; and never place the comma after the conjunction. Test each choice in the full sentence to confirm it follows these rules and reads smoothly.
Hints
Identify the clauses around the blank
Look at the words before and after the blank. Ask yourself: are both parts complete sentences (can each stand alone)? That will affect what punctuation you need.
Notice the role of the word "so"
"So" here introduces a result: the skies stayed clear, and as a result, the concert continued. Think about how you usually punctuate a sentence when one complete thought leads to another with "so."
Think about comma and semicolon rules
Review how commas and semicolons are used to connect complete sentences. Do you typically put a comma before or after a coordinating conjunction like "and" or "so"? And when you use a semicolon, do you normally add a coordinating conjunction right after it?
Step-by-step Explanation
Analyze the sentence structure
Break the sentence into its clauses:
- "Although rain had been forecast for the afternoon" is a dependent (subordinate) clause introduced by "Although."
- The main clause contains two complete thoughts: "the skies remained clear" and "the outdoor concert proceeded without interruption."
These two independent clauses are connected by the word "so."
Recall the punctuation rule for coordinating conjunctions
When two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction such as "for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so" (FANBOYS), the standard punctuation is:
- First independent clause
- Comma
- Coordinating conjunction
- Second independent clause
You do not place a comma immediately after the conjunction, and you do not use a semicolon together with a coordinating conjunction.
Check each answer choice against the rule
Insert each option into the sentence:
- "clear so" → Missing the comma before the coordinating conjunction "so" between two independent clauses.
- "clear so," → Incorrectly places a comma after the conjunction instead of before it.
- "clear; so" → A semicolon should not be followed by a coordinating conjunction like "so."
- "clear, so" → Correctly joins two independent clauses with a comma plus the coordinating conjunction.
Therefore, the correct answer is "clear, so."