The reason it can not be D is because that choice has a semicolon after "nickname". A semicolon is grammatically EQUAL to a period. Some writers like to use them when a second sentence is closely related to the previous one. But it MUST separate complete sentences. In the paragraph, the phrase after "nickname" is NOT a complete sentence, and in fact the SAT often tries to catch students on this very topic. Notice there is no subject: Feeling that it didn't encapsulate his devotion to the broader African American Blues tradition as well as "bluesologist," the moniker he preferred. Yes we know he is the one feeling that, but to be a complete sentence, there needs to be a comma after "preferred " and then the subject- Scott Heron then a verb. example Feeling that it didn't encapsulate........the moniker he preferred, Heron shunned the nickname. I added the subject a verb. Now it would be able to have a semicolon before it Always ask yourself when considering a semicolon: would a period work? If not, neither can a semicolon. BTW , the SAT will NEVER EVER make you try to choose between a period or semicolon because it is just a style choice, not any difference grammatically. I will do more like these! Thanks for the comment!
