Which revision best follows standard English conventions?

Which revision best follows standard English conventions?

• A. The group of students were excited about their trip; however, they forgot their passport.
• B. The group of students was excited about their trip; however they forgot their passport.
• C. The group of students was excited about their trip; however, they forgot their passport.
• D. The group of students were excited about their trip, however they forgot their passport.

Answer: (C)

Subject-verb agreement with collective nouns and proper punctuation for a conjunctive adverb.

The group is a collective noun treated as singular, so the verb should be singular: was. When joining two independent clauses with however, you need a semicolon before it and a comma after it: … trip; however, they forgot their passport. This punctuation keeps the two clauses properly distinct and signals the contrast.

Other options mix up the verb form or mishandle the punctuation around however—using a plural verb with a singular subject or omitting the comma after however—which breaks standard English conventions. The revision that uses the singular verb and the correct semicolon-and-comma punctuation best follows standard conventions.