Sherman Poppen is credited with inventing the snowboard though many before him, including children and adults, have claimed to slide seamlessly down a hill while standing on a single flat surface, which allowed for the sport to take hold during the 1970s and 1980s.
How does the writer vary syntax in the sentence?
A. By separating a related idea using parentheses
B. By separating two dependent clauses with a comma
C. By using a comma splice for emphasis
D. By using a simple sentence structure
The correct answer is B. By separating two dependent clauses with a comma. In the sentence, the writer uses a comma to separate the dependent clause "including children and adults" from the independent clause "which allowed for the sport to take hold during the 1970s and 1980s."
The writer varies syntax in the sentence by using a comma to separate a dependent clause.
The writer varies syntax in the sentence by using a comma splice for emphasis. A comma splice is the use of a comma to join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. In this case, the comma splice separates the phrase "though many before him, including children and adults" from the main clause "have claimed to slide seamlessly down a hill while standing on a single flat surface, which allowed for the sport to take hold during the 1970s and 1980s." This creates a pause and draws attention to the contrasting idea introduced by the phrase in the spliced section. So, the correct answer is C. By using a comma splice for emphasis.
