In 1727, dramatist Lewis Theobald presented a new play, Double Falsehood, at a London theater. Theobald claimed that his drama was based on a little-known play by William Shakespeare, Cardenio. Many, including poet Alexander Pope, were ______ historians have determined that Shakespeare’s company did perform a play called Cardenio in 1613.

Question

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) skeptical
A
skeptical
(Choice B) skeptical but
B
skeptical but
(Choice C) skeptical,
C
skeptical,
(Choice D) skeptical, but
D
skeptical, but

Answer 1

The correct choice that completes the text and conforms to the conventions of Standard English is:

(Choice D) skeptical, but

So the completed sentence reads:

"Many, including poet Alexander Pope, were skeptical, but historians have determined that Shakespeare’s company did perform a play called Cardenio in 1613."

This choice properly uses a comma before "but" to connect two independent clauses.