hard · Act reading
Identify the punctuation error in the following sentence: 'The structural integrity of the bridge was compromised by two main factors—corrosion of the primary steel cables, and shifting of the foundation bedrock.'
- The single dash acts as a 'HALF-STOP' and is incorrect because the preceding clause is not grammatically independent.
- A colon must replace the dash to properly introduce the list of factors, as dashes are only for mid-sentence interruptions.
- The comma is required to prevent a 'run-on' between the two independent clauses describing the factors.
- The comma after 'cables' is unnecessary because it incorrectly splits a compound predicate or a simple list of two items.
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