Punctuation,
one is taught, has a point: to keep up law and order. Punctuation marks are the
road signs placed along the highway of our communication -- to control speeds,
provide directions and prevent head-on collisions.
1.1 – Compound Sentences
Two or more sentences held
together with coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) form
a compound sentence. A comma must be
used before the conjunction.
1.2 – Complex Sentences
Complex sentences contain on
complete sentence and at least one fragment of a sentence. Do not separate these parts with a comma.
1.3 – Compound/Complex Sentences
A compound/complex sentence
contains two or more complete thoughts joined with coordinating conjunctions
along with at least one sentence fragment.
Compound sentences require commas before the conjunctions.
1.4 – Introductory Elements
Some sentences begin with
phrases. Separate these phrases from the
main part of the sentence with a comma.
1.4a
– Using Transitional words
1.4b – Dependent Adverbial Phrases
1.5 – Restrictive Clauses
Some phrases or clauses limit
the meaning of the words they are referring to.
Because they are necessary to the meaning of the sentence, they should
not be set off with commas.
When you use who, which,
whom, when, or where, decide
whether the sentence would be unclear if you omitted it. If omitting the phrase makes the sentence
unclear or changes the meaning, then that part is necessary to the sentence,
and you should not use commas.
1.6 – Appositives
An appositive renames the
noun or pronoun it follows. If omitting
the appositive would change the meaning of the sentence, then do not set it
apart with commas. If the “renaming”
does not change the meaning, then use commas.
1.7 – Parenthetical Comments
Parenthetical comments are
those which can be left out but are included to add color or personality to the
sentence.
1.8 – Items in a
Series
Use a comma to separate words and phrases in a series. Present usage advocates the use of the comma
before and connecting the last two words of a series; some writers,
however, prefer to omit the comma before and.
This comma is called the “series comma” or the “Oxford comma.” When etc. ends a series, it should be
preceded and followed by a comma. Use
commas to separate pairs of words in a series.
Use a comma between adjectives preceding a noun when they are coordinate
qualifying words.
1.9 – Names
Use a comma to set off inverted names in bibliographies, in
indexes, in directories, or in other reference lists. Use a comma to separate a name from a title
or a degree that it follows. Use a comma
to separate a name from a title or degree that follows it.
Do not use a comma to separate compound personal pronouns
from the words they emphasize. Omit the
comma when an appositive has become part of the proper name.
1.10 – For similar or
identical words
Use a comma to separate similar of identical words standing
next to each other, even when the sense or continuity does not seem to require
it.
1.11 – In direct quotations
Use a comma to set off direct quotations. Not that no comma is needed in an indirect
quotation.
1.12 – Short Phrases
A comma should follow yes, no, why, well when one of these
words is used at the beginning of a sentence.
Use a comma to set off light exclamations.
1.13 – In Addresses
Use a comma to set off a phrase denoting residence or
positions but not before ZIP codes. Omit
the comma before the ZIP code number in an address on an envelope; place the
number two spaces after the two-letter state abbreviation.
1.14 – In Dates
Use a comma in dates.
A comma may be used to separate the month from the year when the date is
omitted; in some current usage, the comma between the month and year is
omitted.
1.15 – In Digits
Use a comma to set off figures in groups of more than four
digits.
Use a comma to separate two figures or words indicating
figures in order to make their meaning clear.
No comments:
Post a Comment