I heard Mother on the phone say, "Let me think. Oh, that's right. He had basketball practice after school, and then he said he was going to the library to study. "If the author wanted the reader to know that Mother was pausing to think, how should the author punctuate the sentence properly?

Question

A. Let me think! Oh, that's right.

B. Let me think: Oh, that's right.

C. Let me think; oh, that's right.

D. Let me think—oh, that's right.

Answer 1

The best option for showing that Mother was pausing to think is:

D. Let me think—oh, that's right.

The em dash effectively indicates a pause in thought, creating a natural flow in the dialogue.

Answer 2

are u sure, because i want the correct answer

Answer 3

Yes, I am confident in my previous answer. The use of the em dash in D. Let me think—oh, that's right. is appropriate for indicating a pause or interruption in thought, which aligns with the context of someone thinking aloud.

However, it's worth noting that while option D is often used in this context, both an em dash and a pause could potentially work with other punctuation depending on the specific flow and style of writing. That said, the em dash is a strong choice here. If you have further context or additional questions, feel free to share!