Punctuation: Difference between revisions
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* sometimes called "interrupters" | * sometimes called "interrupters" | ||
** for lists and parenthetical uses | ** for lists and parenthetical uses | ||
* commas and "because" | |||
** generally, "because" is an adverbial preposition that acts like a restrictive conjunction | |||
*** i.e., it is not separated from the prior clause by a comma | |||
*** the reason is that "because" established necessary (essential) causality for the sentence to make sense | |||
*** ex. "''I opened the fridge because I was hungry"'' | |||
**** if we wrote "''I opened the fridge''" it would be an incomplete thought | |||
** "because" can also act like a subordinating conjunction | |||
** which would make the comma appropriate: | |||
*** if the clause started by "because" acts as additional and not essential information, it can be separated by a comma | |||
*** ex., "''I was hungry and went to the fridge, because I knew there'd be something good to eat"'' | |||
**** this example separates the two thoughts and thereby does not create a directly causal link between them | |||
***** i.e., "because I knew"... adds non-essential information to the main clause | |||
=== for lists === | === for lists === | ||
* = separates nouns, verbs and series of clauses | * = separates nouns, verbs and series of clauses |
Revision as of 14:04, 21 April 2022
Punctuation is sub-category of Grammar
Note:
- this page is under construction
- for more complete set of punctuation rules go to the SAT Writing section techniques, strategies & approaches page
- punctuation is used to set rules for recreating in writing human speech
- such as hard pauses (periods, semicolons, colons, dashes and parentheses) and soft pauses (commas)
- however, punctuation enables writing to go beyond verbal communication for complex expression and meaning
See:
- Grammar
- Word Parts of Speech & Grammar Rules for list of commonly used words, their parts of speech categories, and the rules governing their use
- Parts of Speech for grammar and usage rules on word categories
- Word Parts of Speech & Grammar Rules
- SAT Writing
[category: Grammar] [category: Language Arts] [category: SAT Verbal]]
Colon
- must be preceded by an independent clause
- can be followed by anything
- except a conjunction
- the reason is that conjunctions and colons do the same thing
comma[edit | edit source]
- used to create a pause
- used to separate ideas
- the five uses of a comma:
- joins independent clauses
- joins phrases or dependent clauses with an independent clause
- creates lists
- parenthetical or bracketed information
- sometimes called "interrupters"
- for lists and parenthetical uses
- commas and "because"
- generally, "because" is an adverbial preposition that acts like a restrictive conjunction
- i.e., it is not separated from the prior clause by a comma
- the reason is that "because" established necessary (essential) causality for the sentence to make sense
- ex. "I opened the fridge because I was hungry"
- if we wrote "I opened the fridge" it would be an incomplete thought
- "because" can also act like a subordinating conjunction
- which would make the comma appropriate:
- if the clause started by "because" acts as additional and not essential information, it can be separated by a comma
- ex., "I was hungry and went to the fridge, because I knew there'd be something good to eat"
- this example separates the two thoughts and thereby does not create a directly causal link between them
- i.e., "because I knew"... adds non-essential information to the main clause
- this example separates the two thoughts and thereby does not create a directly causal link between them
- generally, "because" is an adverbial preposition that acts like a restrictive conjunction
for lists[edit | edit source]
- = separates nouns, verbs and series of clauses
- the serial comma = comma following the 2nd to last word in a list and before the conjunction:
- ex.: "one, two, or three bananas"
- known as the "Oxford comma"
- = the British convention (rule or typical use) is to place a comma after the 2nd to last word in a list
- vs.: "one, two or three bananas"
- both forms are correct
- generally, American usage is to use the "serial comma" that comes before the conjunction
- ex.: "one, two, or three bananas"
as conjunction for combining independent clauses[edit | edit source]
as conjunction for combining dependent and independent clauses[edit | edit source]
for pauses after introductory or subordinate phrases[edit | edit source]
for separating ideas or gaps[edit | edit source]
for parenthetical phrases or brackets[edit | edit source]
- functions as parentheses to set aside additional information without interrupting the basic sentence
- see