Select the correct text in the passage.
Proofread this excerpt from a review of the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Which sentence contains punctuation errors?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a charming little coming-of-age film based on the novel of the same name. The film vividly depicts some of the struggles teenagers go through on their quest for growth and self-identity. This struggle plays out chiefly through the protagonist; Charlie, who anchors the film brilliantly. Charlie isn’t your typical “leading man” by any stretch of the imagination. However, there’s a softness and vulnerability to his character that makes him strangely endearing.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The sentence that contains punctuation errors is:
“This struggle plays out chiefly through the protagonist; Charlie, who anchors the film brilliantly.”
Explanation:
- Semicolon Misuse:
- The semicolon in this sentence is incorrectly used. A semicolon should link two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are closely related in meaning, but here, the phrase after the semicolon, “Charlie, who anchors the film brilliantly,” is not an independent clause. It is a dependent clause, providing additional information about the protagonist Charlie.
- The correct punctuation in this case would be a colon (:) instead of a semicolon. A colon is used when introducing a list, explanation, or elaboration, which fits the context of the sentence. Here, the phrase “Charlie, who anchors the film brilliantly,” is elaborating on the subject “the protagonist,” making a colon the correct choice.
- Comma Placement:
- The comma after “Charlie” is correct. The phrase “who anchors the film brilliantly” is a nonessential relative clause that provides extra information about Charlie. Nonessential clauses are set off by commas, and in this case, it correctly follows “Charlie.”
Corrected Sentence:
“This struggle plays out chiefly through the protagonist: Charlie, who anchors the film brilliantly.”
By replacing the semicolon with a colon, the sentence now properly introduces an explanation of who the protagonist is, and the comma after “Charlie” remains intact because it sets off the nonessential clause.
Summary of Punctuation Rules:
- Semicolon (;): Used to link two independent clauses. It is not appropriate to use it with a dependent clause.
- Colon (:): Used to introduce a list, explanation, or elaboration.
- Commas (,): Used to set off nonessential information (like the relative clause in this sentence), ensuring the sentence flows smoothly and the meaning remains clear.