Question 155·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
The modular synth compositions of Suzanne Ciani have attracted a devoted following among contemporary electronic _____ English producer Jon Hopkins, who has cited Ciani’s work as a formative influence.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For SAT punctuation/boundary questions, first find the main subject and verb to see what the core sentence is. Then test what comes before and after the punctuation: if both sides are complete sentences, a semicolon or period might work; if the second part is just a phrase or example, you usually need a comma (or no punctuation) depending on whether it is nonessential. Be especially careful with words like "including"—they almost always introduce extra information that should remain attached to the main clause with a comma, not separated with a semicolon or colon.
Hints
Check clause completeness
Read the sentence up to the blank and then start again at "including." Can the part that begins with "including" stand on its own as a complete sentence?
Think about what "including" does
Ask yourself: Is "including English producer Jon Hopkins" giving an example of the musicians mentioned earlier, or is it starting a brand-new statement?
Match punctuation to function
Semicolons usually come between two complete sentences. Colons usually follow a complete sentence and introduce a list or explanation. Which choice uses punctuation that simply adds extra, connected information?
Essential vs. extra information
Decide whether the phrase with "including" is essential to identify which musicians are meant, or whether it is extra detail that could be removed without breaking the sentence.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the main sentence structure
Strip the sentence down to its core:
"The modular synth compositions of Suzanne Ciani have attracted a devoted following among contemporary electronic _____ English producer Jon Hopkins, who has cited Ciani’s work as a formative influence."
The main clause is "The modular synth compositions of Suzanne Ciani have attracted a devoted following." Everything else adds detail to that main idea.
Understand the role of "including"
The words after the blank are "including English producer Jon Hopkins, who has cited Ciani’s work as a formative influence."
"Including" introduces an example of the "contemporary electronic musicians." It does not start a new sentence or independent clause; it is extra descriptive information added onto the phrase "among contemporary electronic musicians."
Match punctuation strength to the grammar
Because this "including" phrase is nonessential information inside the sentence, it should be set off with light punctuation, not separated as a new clause.
- A semicolon is too strong; it separates two independent clauses, and what follows is not independent.
- A colon typically introduces a list or explanation after a complete clause; using a colon followed by "including" is awkward and redundant here.
- Having no comma before "including" would fail to set off this extra information clearly.
Choose the option that correctly sets off the nonessential phrase
Select the option that uses a comma to set off the nonessential phrase: "musicians, including."