8th grade level question. 15 point available if answered properly.

Identify the error in the following sentence and the best way to fix it.

"The cat ran out the back door, he was gone for three days."
A. It is a fragment and needs a subject
B. It has a comma splice and needs a conjunction
C. It is a run-on sentence and needs a period or semi-colon
D. It is a fragment and needs a verb.



Answer :

Explanation:

The sentence contains a B. comma splice fault and requires a conjunction.

This is the reason why:

An incomplete sentence without a subject or verb is called a fragment. The verb "ran" and the subject "The cat" are both present in this phrase.

A run-on sentence only has a comma to divide two independent clauses. The two independent clauses in this statement are "He was gone for three days" and "The cat ran out the back door."

Specifically, a comma splice is a run-on sentence in which an independent clause is erroneously linked to another clause with just a comma. In this sentence, this is true.

You can correct the statement by adding a conjunction:

"The cat disappeared via the back door and wasn't seen for three days. " (This uses a coordinating conjunction to form a compound sentence.) "The cat raced out the back door. He left after three days. (This uses a full stop to divide the two independent clauses.)

Both choices express the intended meaning and are grammatically sound.