93Check out the comma followed by the article “the.” It’s a Run-on error. There is a “being”!
(B) a semi-colon functions like a period. It separates two independent clauses. Not warning the
guests because Rachel was so sick, is not a complete sentence, so it can’t be separated from
the first phrase with a semi-colon.
(C) A severe case of pneumonia hit Rachel on her birthday, February 12th, preventing her from
attending her own birthday party in the evening is an independent clause and because Rachel
was so sick, the guests were not warned is also an independent clause. Two independent clauses
cannot be separated by just a comma. We need an additional conjunction.
(D) the semi-colon correctly separates the two independent clauses: A severe case of pneumonia
hit Rachel on her birthday, February 12th, preventing her from attending her own birthday
party in the evening and the guests were not warned because Rachel was so sick.
(E) it has a “being” and is way too wordy and wrong.
Revised sentence:
A severe case of pneumonia suddenly hit Rachel
on her birthday, February 12th, preventing her
from attending her own birthday party in the
evening; the guests were not warned because
Rachel was so sick.
Correct Answer: (D)