Reading and Writing: Standard English Conventions
SAT Question of the Day for October 5, 2026
Marine biologist Kenji Watanabe has spent thirteen years studying cleaner wrasses on coral reefs in the Andaman Sea; his most remarkable finding_______ these small fish can recognize their own reflections, a cognitive ability previously confirmed in only a handful of non-human species.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A.finding, these
- B.finding; these
- C.finding. These
- D.finding: theseCorrect answer
Explanation
The phrase "his most remarkable finding" is a noun phrase, not an independent clause, and it introduces a specification of what the finding is. A colon is the correct punctuation mark to link a noun phrase to the clause that defines or elaborates it. The option using a colon correctly signals that what follows identifies the finding. A comma after a noun phrase followed by an independent clause produces an ungrammatical construction rather than a standard comma splice (since the first element lacks a verb), and it fails to signal the explanatory relationship. A semicolon is incorrect because it requires independent clauses on both sides, and "his most remarkable finding" has no verb and therefore is not an independent clause. A period is incorrect because it would leave "His most remarkable finding." as a sentence fragment.
How to use this question
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