Question 75·Hard·Boundaries
In the southern _____ the constellation Carina appears upside down to observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For punctuation questions with words like “however,” first decide whether the text before and after the blank are complete clauses or just phrases. Semicolons must join two complete sentences; if the left side is only a phrase, you cannot use a semicolon. Next, recognize that conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, moreover) acting as interrupters inside a sentence are usually set off with commas on both sides, while introductory phrases of several words also typically take a comma after them. Quickly test each option in the sentence, eliminating any choice that violates these basic clause and comma rules.
Hints
Check what comes before the blank
Look at the words before the blank: does “In the southern ...” begin a complete sentence with its own subject and verb, or is it the beginning of an introductory phrase?
Think about how “however” functions
In this sentence, is “however” introducing a brand new sentence, or is it interrupting the main clause as a transition word that shows contrast?
Remember how to punctuate interrupters
When a transition word like “however” is dropped into the middle of a sentence, how is it usually set off with commas?
Compare the comma patterns
Look closely at where each option puts commas or semicolons around “however.” Which option gives you a comma after the introductory phrase and also correctly separates the interrupter from the main clause?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the structure of the sentence
Read the sentence with the blank:
“In the southern _____ the constellation Carina appears upside down to observers in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Everything after the blank, “the constellation Carina appears upside down to observers in the Northern Hemisphere,” is a complete clause (it has a subject and a verb).
The portion before the blank begins an introductory prepositional phrase (“In the southern sky”), which is not a complete sentence by itself and cannot stand as an independent clause.
Decide how “however” is being used
Here, “however” is not starting a new sentence; it is a conjunctive adverb showing contrast, interrupting the main clause after an introductory phrase:
- Introductory phrase: In the southern sky
- Transitional interrupter: however
- Main clause: the constellation Carina appears upside down...
When a word like “however” interrupts a clause in this way, it is treated as a parenthetical element and is normally set off with commas on both sides.
Apply comma and semicolon rules
Apply standard punctuation rules:
- A semicolon (;) can join two independent clauses only. We do not have a complete clause before the blank, so we cannot use a semicolon before “however.”
- An introductory phrase of several words like “In the southern sky” is typically followed by a comma.
- A parenthetical interrupter like “however” inside a clause should be surrounded by commas: one before and one after.
So we need punctuation that (1) puts a comma after “sky” and (2) places a comma after “however.”
Test each option against the rules and choose the correct one
Plug each option into the sentence:
- A) “In the southern sky, however the constellation Carina appears...” → missing a comma after “however,” so the interrupter is not properly set off.
- B) “In the southern sky however, the constellation Carina appears...” → missing the comma after the introductory phrase, so the intro phrase is not properly separated from the main clause.
- C) “In the southern sky; however, the constellation Carina appears...” → uses a semicolon after a phrase that is not a complete clause, which is incorrect.
- D) “In the southern sky, however, the constellation Carina appears...” → has a comma after the introductory phrase and another comma after “however,” correctly setting off the interrupter.
Therefore, the correct choice is D) sky, however,.