Question 199·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
Between 1901 and 1904, the artist Pablo Picasso transitioned from his Blue Period to his Rose Period, _____ a warmer palette and more optimistic subjects.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For verb-form and sentence-structure questions, first locate the main subject and verb and ask whether the part before the blank is already a complete sentence. Then decide if the blank needs to start a new independent clause (which would usually require a conjunction) or a dependent/participial phrase that adds detail. Eliminate choices that create comma splices, mismatch the time frame established in the sentence, or change the sentence from one clear main clause plus a modifier into two incorrectly joined sentences. Reading the full sentence aloud with each option can quickly reveal which version flows and is grammatically complete.
Hints
Look at what comes before the blank
Identify the subject and main verb in the sentence before the comma. Ask yourself: is the sentence already complete before the blank?
Think about sentence structure after a comma
After a complete sentence and a comma, can you add another full sentence without a conjunction like "and" or "but," or do you need a phrase that depends on the first part?
Match the time frame
The dates 1901 to 1904 indicate past time. Which choices fit that time frame, and which one can act as a phrase rather than a full clause?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the main clause and time frame
First, find the main subject and verb: "the artist Pablo Picasso transitioned from his Blue Period to his Rose Period." This is a complete sentence in the past tense, set "Between 1901 and 1904." Whatever goes in the blank must smoothly extend this sentence without creating a new independent clause.
Decide what kind of phrase is needed after the comma
After a complete clause and a comma, you can add a dependent/introductory phrase (like a participial phrase) or join another clause with a coordinating conjunction (like "and"). Here, there is only a comma and the blank, so if you choose something that forms its own complete sentence (subject + finite verb), you will create a comma splice (an error). The word in the blank should function as part of a modifying phrase that tells how Picasso transitioned or what happened as a result of that transition.
Test each option for sentence structure and tense
Plug in each choice:
- "...transitioned from his Blue Period to his Rose Period, he adopted a warmer palette..." → This is another full clause (subject + verb) after just a comma, creating a comma splice.
- "...transitioned..., had adopted a warmer palette..." → Also a full clause and wrong tense (past perfect is used for an action before another past action, which isn't the comparison here).
- "...transitioned..., will adopt a warmer palette..." → Future tense does not match the clearly past time period (1901–1904) and is another full clause after a comma.
- One option remains that does not create a full independent clause but instead forms a modifying phrase that can follow the comma.
Choose the participial phrase that modifies the main clause
The -ing form "adopting" creates a participial phrase: "transitioned from his Blue Period to his Rose Period, adopting a warmer palette and more optimistic subjects." This phrase correctly describes what Picasso did as he transitioned and avoids a comma splice, while keeping the time frame in the past. Therefore, the correct answer is C) adopting.