A punctuation question with a joining word tests how two parts of a sentence connect. Read both sides of that word and test whether each can stand alone. To do that, find the subject and main verb, who or what the sentence is about and what it does or is. A full sentence must not leave you waiting for more; two full sentences take a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a joining word. A pause alone won’t tell you where a mark belongs.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look at what follows the opening forecast phrase. Does the sentence already give the rest of the thought that Although needs?
- Hint 2
Find the subject and main verb in the concert part. Could those words form a sentence of their own?
- Hint 3
Check the punctuation around the joining word. What kind of join does your test of the two sides call for?
Step-by-step
Test both sides of the join
Step 1Test the complete first side
Split around so, the joining word that appears in every choice. The first side starts with Although rain had been forecast for the afternoon, but does that make the whole side depend on another sentence? No: the skies remained gives us both a subject and a main verb. The subject is who or what the sentence is about, and the main verb tells us what it does or is. Adding clear completes the thought that the opening forecast phrase needs, so the first side can stand alone.
- Step 2
Test the concert part
Can the concert part stand alone too? In the outdoor concert proceeded without interruption, the concert is the subject and proceeded is the main verb, so this side is another full sentence. It doesn’t borrow a subject or verb from the first side, and no opening word makes it depend on that side. The shared word so means as a result and joins the two thoughts.
- Step 3
Choose the complete join
With so joining two full sentences, the comma belongs before the joining word. That rules out clear so, which has no comma, and clear so,, which places it after so. The version clear; so uses a semicolon where the comma should go; a semicolon could join these thoughts if so were removed. The version clear, so gives the comma and joining word together. Choice D.