English ACT Aspire Practice Test

In the provided sentence, which option correctly uses punctuation?

1. thumbs, her fingers formed it

2. thumbs her fingers formed it

3. thumbs her fingers formed it,

4. thumbs, her fingers formed it,

The correct answer is: thumbs, her fingers formed it

The correct answer uses punctuation effectively to separate two independent clauses. In this case, the use of a comma before "her fingers formed it" signals that the sentence contains two connected thoughts. The first part, "thumbs," establishes context, likely referring to a previous idea. The comma serves as a brief pause that enhances clarity and helps the reader understand that the thought continues with the next independent clause. In contrast, the other options lack appropriate punctuation to denote a pause or separation between the ideas, making the sentence harder to follow or potentially confusing for the reader. This distinction highlights the importance of proper punctuation in conveying meaning and maintaining clarity in writing.