Question 84·Hard·Boundaries
The gifted British botanist and Himalayan explorer Joseph Dalton _____ corresponded extensively with Charles Darwin, supplying crucial data that shaped Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundary questions, first find the main subject and the main verb. If the blank sits directly between them, punctuation is almost never correct there. Also remember: semicolons and colons require an independent clause before them; if the text before the blank is just a subject or fragment, eliminate those choices.
Hints
Locate the verb after the blank
The word right after the blank is a verb (“corresponded”). Think about whether punctuation normally goes between a subject and its verb.
Notice what the blank must complete
The words “Joseph Dalton” look incomplete. The blank likely finishes the person’s full name before the verb begins.
Test for an independent clause before the punctuation
Would the sentence be complete if it ended right at the blank? If not, you can rule out certain punctuation marks.
Use the key boundary rule
Commas, semicolons, and colons should not split a subject directly from its main verb in a simple sentence like this.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the blank is doing
Read the sentence around the blank:
“The gifted British botanist and Himalayan explorer Joseph Dalton _____ corresponded …”
The blank must finish the person’s name (Joseph Dalton Hooker) and possibly add punctuation right before the verb “corresponded.”
Apply the subject–verb boundary rule
The complete subject is the described name “The gifted British botanist and Himalayan explorer Joseph Dalton Hooker.” The main verb is “corresponded.”
In standard English, you generally do not put punctuation between a subject and its main verb (unless you are closing a parenthetical phrase, which is not happening here).
Eliminate punctuation choices and select the correct completion
- A semicolon or colon must come after an independent clause, but everything up to the name is just the subject, not a complete sentence.
- A comma would incorrectly separate the subject from its verb.
Therefore, the blank should contain the name with no punctuation: “Hooker”.