Two Questions.

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>1) The SAT question of the day :Nearly one-sixth of all the human beings on Earth live in (India, it has the) world’s most populous democracy.
Answer Choices</p>

<pre><code>* (A) India, it has the
* (B) India, the
* (C) India, having the
* (D) India; the
* (E) India; and are the
</code></pre>

<p>The answer is 'B' although I don't fully understand the difference between putting a semi-colon (D) or the comma in (B). I thought when a semi-colon is present, the clause preceding the semi-colon can function as it's own sentence and "Nearly one-sixth....India" seems like an appropriate sentence. Basically, when do I use a comma and semi-colon.</p>

<p>2) I'm a Sunday test taker and for some reason Sunday test takers are not allowed to reciveve a Q&A packet. Anyone know the reason? It's quite annoying.</p>

2

<p>1) In this case, a semicolon divides two sentences that can stand on their own, meaning the clause succeeding the semicolon must also be “complete.” It is not in this case, so you use a comma. The comma allows you to use a dependent clause or phrase (can’t function on its own).</p>

<p>A semicolon can also be used to separate items in a list which include commas:</p>

<p>“She saw three men: Donald, who came from New Zealand; John, the milkman’s son; and George, a gaunt kind of man.” (source and more information: <a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semicolon[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semicolon&lt;/a&gt;)</p>