Question

Two independent clauses may be joined by _____.

using a semicolon between the clauses without a conjunction
using a semicolon between the clauses only with a conjunction

Answer 1

Two independent clauses may be joined by **using a semicolon between the clauses without a conjunction**. This is correct because a semicolon can connect closely related independent clauses on its own.

For example:
- "I wanted to go for a walk; it was raining outside."

In contrast, if you wish to join independent clauses with a conjunction (like "and," "but," or "or"), you would typically use a comma before the conjunction:

For example:
- "I wanted to go for a walk, but it was raining outside."

So to clarify, the first option is the correct answer.