<p>In winter, when the ponds froze over, the villagers went skating, **and the most venturesome of whom played chase and executed **complicated turns on the ice.</p>
<p>A. and the most venturesome of whom played chase and executed
B. the most venturesome played chase and executed
C. in that the most venturesome played chase and executed
d. with the most venturesomme playing chase and executing
E. accordingly the most venturesome played and executed</p>
<p>(A) is incorrect because “of whom” cannot be used with a conjunction in that fashion. One would say, “I saw the villagers, the most venturesome of whom played…”</p>
<p>(B) yields a comma splice (two independent clauses linked with only a comma).</p>
<p>(C) incorrectly uses “in that.” That phrase roughly means “because.”</p>
<p>(D) is correct.</p>
<p>(E) yields a comma splice.</p>
<p>but dont B,C,D,E, all yield comma splices because they don’t have conjunctions?</p>
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<p>No. (C) does not yield a comma splice, because "in that " links to the next clause (a clause within a prepositional phrase). (D) yields only a single independent clause, as “with the most venturesome playing chase and executing” is a prepositional phrase and not a clause; the verbs are not conjugated.</p>
<p>I understand now, thank you. I think my problem is that I assume a conjunction is always needed after a comma on sentence corrections, but I stand corrected!</p>