Boundaries: Punctuation and Sentence Structure

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

Vermeer's most enigmatic painting raises a single question ______ who is the young woman with the pearl earring?

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  • A

  • B

    ;

  • C

    :

    check_circle
  • D

    , that

Explanation

A colon properly introduces a question that elaborates on "single question." An em-dash is possible but a colon is the standard, more formal choice for an introduced question. A semicolon needs an independent clause; ", that" creates an awkward fragment.

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