PSAT Writing and Language Question 169: Answer and Explanation

Question: 169

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. physics; like lift and drag on wings, as well as proficiency
• C. physics like lift and drag on wings, as well as proficiency
• D. physics: like lift and drag on wings—as well as proficiency

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A

Difficulty: Medium

Category: Sentence Structure: Commas, Dashes, and Colons

Getting to the Answer: Figure out the role of the underlined phrase in the sentence to find the correct punctuation. "Like lift and drag on wings" is a parenthetical element provided as an example. The sentence is correctly punctuated as written because it uses dashes to set off the parenthetical element. The answer is (A).