Boundaries: Punctuation and Sentence Structure

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 3/5

______ , the antique clock on the mantel chimed precisely at midnight, startling the dinner guests.

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

  • A

    Having wound carefully each evening

  • B

    Wound carefully each evening

    check_circle
  • C

    When carefully winding each evening

  • D

    Winding carefully each evening

Explanation

The clock is wound (passive); "Wound carefully each evening" correctly modifies "clock." The other forms imply the clock is doing the winding.

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