Question 88·Easy·Boundaries
Over the last decade, demand for community gardens has risen _____ across the country now allocate public land for urban agriculture.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundaries questions, first test whether the words before and after the blank form independent clauses. If both sides are independent, eliminate comma splices and run-ons, and choose a period, semicolon, or a comma + coordinating conjunction as appropriate. Attach punctuation to the preceding word (as formatted in the options) to mirror correct SAT style.
Hints
Find subjects and verbs
Identify the subject and verb on both sides of the blank to see whether each side forms a complete sentence.
Decide clause types
Are both sides independent clauses? If yes, consider how to join them correctly.
Recall valid connectors
Two independent clauses can be joined by a period, semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.
Match an option to the rule
Look for the choice that correctly implements a comma + coordinating conjunction to link two complete clauses.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the clauses
Before the blank: "demand for community gardens has risen sharply" is an independent clause. After the blank: "cities across the country now allocate public land for urban agriculture" is also an independent clause.
Recall the rule for joining independent clauses
Independent clauses can be joined by a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
Eliminate incorrect punctuation patterns
- Using just "and" (with no comma) omits the comma that SAT convention requires before a coordinating conjunction joining two independent clauses.
- Using only a comma between independent clauses creates a comma splice.
- A semicolon should not be followed by a coordinating conjunction like "and"; use one or the other.
Select the option that applies the rule correctly
Only "sharply, and cities" supplies the necessary comma + coordinating conjunction to join the two independent clauses correctly.