English ACT Aspire Practice Test

Which correction improves the clarity of the sentence regarding the designs: "The designs available at that time were all highly sophisticated in their ___ however, their complicated and expensive gauges, valves, and reflectors made them highly impractical?"

1. NO CHANGE

2. engineering; however,

3. engineering however,

4. engineering, however

The correct answer is: engineering; however,

The correct choice enhances the clarity of the sentence by appropriately separating the contrasting ideas presented. The phrase "engineering; however," uses a semicolon before "however," which can create confusion in sentence structure and does not effectively indicate the relationship between the two clauses. In contrast, the selection "engineering, however," provides a clear, grammatically correct transition that connects the two independent clauses. The use of a comma before "however" signals that there is an important contrast between the sophistication of the designs and their impractical features. This choice effectively sets up the reader’s expectation that while the designs may be sophisticated in terms of engineering, their practicality is compromised by the complexity and expense of their components. A well-structured sentence typically gives the reader a logical flow of ideas, and using a comma here to introduce the contrasting idea clarifies the relationship between the sophistication of the designs and their impracticality. This choice ensures that the sentence maintains a coherent and fluid structure while conveying its intended meaning effectively.