Writing > Improving Sentences
Part or all of the following sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Select the option that produces the best sentence. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A.
The Vikings used their well-known longships to travel as far east as Constantinople and the Volga River, and as far west as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland, this was a period of expansion known as the Viking Age.
(A) Newfoundland, this was a period of expansion known as the Viking Age
(B) Newfoundland, moreover, this period of expansion was known as the Viking Age
(C) Newfoundland, a period of expansion being known as the Viking Age
(D) Newfoundland, this period of expansion was known as the Viking Age
(E) Newfoundland, during a period of expansion known as the Viking Age
The Correct answer is E.
Explanation
Choice (E) is correct. It avoids the comma splice error of the original by replacing the second independent clause with a modifying phrase (“during a period of expansion known as the Viking Age”).