DSAT R&W Practice Question-Standard English Conventions-Boundaries - Medium
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Standard English Conventions-Boundaries – Medium
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Standard English Conventions-Boundaries – Medium is part of Standard English Conventions : This section measures revision skills and knowledge to conform to core conventions of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation
Weightage : 26%
Subtopic: Standard English Conventions
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
The sentence requires a comma after “rare” because it contains a dependent clause (“in some dialects of Mandarin”) followed by an independent clause (“however, four…”). This makes option C (rare,) the correct punctuation choice. The semicolon (A) would incorrectly separate a dependent clause, the colon (B) would imply an explanation follows, the period (D) would create a sentence fragment, and “and” (E) would create a grammatical error by improperly connecting the clauses.
Syllabus Classification: This question falls under “Standard English Conventions → Boundaries” as it tests proper punctuation usage to separate clauses in a complex sentence.
Note: The original image appears to contain duplicate options (multiple “rare;”), which have been corrected here to show the full range of possible punctuation choices.
Question
Photosynthesis, the mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into ______ is fueled in part by an enzyme called Photosystem II that harvests energy-giving electrons from water molecules.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. nutrients
B. nutrients and
C. nutrients,
D. nutrients—
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. C
Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence. The comma after “nutrients” pairs with the comma after “photosynthesis” to separate the supplementary element “the mechanism by which plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into nutrients” from the rest of the sentence. This supplementary element functions to define the term “photosynthesis,” and the pair of commas indicates that this element could be removed without affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.
Choice A is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because a conjunction can’t be paired with a comma in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence. Choice D is incorrect because a dash can’t be paired with a comma in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.
Question
Po’Pay was a Tewa leader from Ohkay Owingeh, a pueblo located about twenty-five miles north of present-day Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was instrumental in organizing the Pueblo Revolt of ______ as a result of his leadership, the Spanish colonizers were expelled from the region for a time.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. 1680
B. 1680 and
C. 1680,
D. 1680, and
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. D
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a sentence. This choice correctly uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction “and” to join the first main clause (“He…1680”) and the second main clause (“as…time”).
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice B is incorrect because when coordinating two longer main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses.