InQuizitive Editing The Errors That Matter Practice Test

The main idea here is to cut wordiness by using a direct causal connector instead of a verbose phrase. Replacing “Due to the fact that” with a simple “Because” keeps the cause and effect clear while trimming unnecessary words. So the strongest corrected sentence is: Because the meeting ran late, we were unable to finish the agenda. It preserves meaning and reads smoothly, with proper punctuation after the introductory clause. The other approaches either feel choppier or introduce a grammar issue. A version that uses a semicolon is technically correct, but it can read a bit abruptly because it splits the thought into two independent clauses. Repeating the original structure exactly leaves the sentence still verbose. A version that uses a comma to join two independent clauses would be incorrect (a comma splice).