"The clock ticked. The room was silent. Shadows danced on the walls, creeping closer with each passing second."

What best describes the author’s use of syntax in this passage?

Question

"The clock ticked. The room was silent. Shadows danced on the walls, creeping closer with each passing second."

What best describes the author’s use of syntax in this passage?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The passage presents a brief, brisk cadence with minimalistic phrasing that creates a heightened sense of tension.
Option 1: The author uses short, simple sentences to build tension and suspense. This aligns with the effect of the lines: the sentences are concise, the imagery is sharp, and the tight structure accelerates pace, which commonly produces suspense.
Option 2: The author uses fragmented sentences to create a sense of confusion and disorder. The lines shown do not feature deliberate fragments or incomplete thoughts; they are complete simple sentences, so this description misreads the syntactic pattern in the extract.
Option 3: The author uses complex and compound sentences to explore multiple ideas at once. The passage does not display complex or multiple-idea sentences; rather, each clause is kept short and independent, avoiding layered or joined structures that would convey multiple ideas simultaneously.
Option 4: The author uses long, flowing sentences to create a lyrical tone. The sentences here are deliberately short and abrupt, not long or flowing; thus this option inaccurately characterizes the syntax and mood of the passage.

English III CP - Trejo - Preparatory Academy - 1st Semester - 2025/2026 Final Exam3CP- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

"The clock ticked. The room was silent. Shadows danced on the walls, creeping closer with each passing second." What best describes the author’s use of syntax in this passage?

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