Question 74·Medium·Boundaries
Many historians contend that city parks are a luxury that modern urban planners cannot afford; _____ residents often cite the mental and physical health benefits of green spaces when they oppose new developments.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For punctuation questions with a blank before or after a transition word (like "however," "therefore," "consequently"), first identify whether you have one or two independent clauses. If there are two clauses joined by a semicolon and the transition starts the second clause, you almost always need a comma after the transition. Eliminate choices that create double punctuation (like semicolon + semicolon or semicolon + colon) or that violate standard patterns you know, and choose the one that matches the typical conjunctive adverb structure.
Hints
Check the parts around the blank
Look at the words before and after the blank. Are there complete sentences (independent clauses) on both sides of the semicolon?
Notice the transition word
The blank will be filled with a transition word that shows contrast. Think about how such words are usually punctuated when they appear at the start of a new clause after a semicolon.
Focus on punctuation, not meaning
All four choices use the same word. The only difference is the punctuation after it. Ask: after a semicolon and a transition word, which punctuation mark is standard before the rest of the clause begins?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the sentence structure
Break the sentence into its parts:
- First clause: "Many historians contend that city parks are a luxury that modern urban planners cannot afford"
- Then a semicolon: ";"
- Second clause: "residents often cite the mental and physical health benefits of green spaces when they oppose new developments."
You have two complete ideas (independent clauses) joined by a semicolon, with a transition word ("however") intended to start the second clause.
Recall the rule for conjunctive adverbs
Words like "however," "therefore," and "consequently" are called conjunctive adverbs when they connect two independent clauses.
When a conjunctive adverb appears at the beginning of an independent clause, it is typically followed by a comma, especially in formal writing: for example, "; therefore, we concluded..." or "; consequently, they decided..."
Match the punctuation to the rule
In this sentence, the semicolon before the blank already separates the two clauses. After the transitional word, you need a comma, not another semicolon or no punctuation at all.
So the correct completion is: "; however, residents often cite the mental and physical health benefits...".
Answer: however,