Question

Read the excerpt from The Crisis, Number XIII, by Thomas Paine.

“Never, I say, had a country so many openings to happiness as this. Her setting out in life, like the rising of a fair morning, was unclouded and promising. Her cause was good. Her principles just and liberal. Her temper serene and firm. Her conduct regulated by the nicest steps, and everything about her wore the mark of honor.”

Which statement best describes this excerpt?
Most of the sentences contain comma splices.
It consists mostly of run-on sentences.
Most of the sentences have a similar structure.
It consists mostly of sentences with varied structures.

Answer 1

Most of the sentences have a similar structure.

Explanation: Paine uses parallel sentence patterns (many begin with "Her..." or follow "Her [noun] [verb] [adjective/phrase]"), creating a repeated, balanced structure rather than run-ons or comma splices.