Question

inquizitive comma splices handbook page 5.3b edit the following statement to correct any errors. if the statement doesn’t contain any errors, click the “no errors” button. advocates of hydraulic fracturing—a method used to extract natural gas from shale rock—emphasize its economic benefits, opponents emphasize this method’s environmental risks. benefits, while opponents benefits; whereas opponents benefits. although opponents benefits opponents no errors

Explanation:

The original sentence contains a comma splice: two independent clauses ("Advocates of hydraulic fracturing...emphasize its economic benefits" and "opponents emphasize this method's environmental risks") are incorrectly joined by only a comma. To fix this, we can use a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb or a comma with a coordinating conjunction. The option "benefits; whereas opponents " correctly uses a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses, with "whereas" acting as a conjunctive adverb to show contrast. The option "benefits, while opponents " also fixes the splice, but "while" here is a coordinating conjunction, and the semicolon + conjunctive adverb structure is also grammatically valid and appropriate for showing this contrast. However, the semicolon + "whereas" is a precise fix for the comma splice.

Answer:

benefits; whereas opponents *