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Punctuation: Difference between revisions
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[category: SAT Verbal]] | [category: SAT Verbal]] | ||
==colon== | |||
* must be preceded by an independent clause | * must be preceded by an independent clause | ||
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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 | ||
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=== for parenthetical phrases or brackets === | === for parenthetical phrases or brackets === | ||
* functions as parentheses to set aside additional information without interrupting the basic sentence | * functions as parentheses to set aside additional information without interrupting the basic sentence | ||
* see | |||
* | === commas and coordinate or cumulative adjectives === | ||
* an adjective is an essential or restrictive element, thus it is not separated from the noun it modifies by a comma | |||
* however, when there are multiple adjectives acting on the same noun, we sometimes separate them by a comma | |||
* when multiple adjectives are not separated by commas, they are called "cumulative" adjectives | |||
* when multiple adjectives are separated by commas, they are called "coordinate" adjectives | |||
==== cumulative adjectives ==== | |||
* = compound adjectives that modify a noun in a certain succession or cumulation | |||
** ''My big red balloon'' | |||
*** = I have a big balloon that is red | |||
==== coordinate adjectives ==== | |||
* = compound adjectives that modify a noun distinctly from each other | |||
** My big, red balloon | |||
*** = I have a balloon that is both big and red | |||
see: | |||
* [<nowiki/>[[wikipedia:Comma|comma (wiki)]]] | |||
* [[http://www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/punctuation/comma Comma (suxxex.ac.uk)]] | |||
== semicolon == | |||
* > to do | |||
* example of literary use of a semicolon to separate combine distinct clauses within a single sentence: | |||
The evil of the actual disparity in their ages (and Mr. Woodhouse had not married early) was much increased by his constitution and habits; for having been a valetudinarian all his life, without activity of mind or body, he was a much older man in ways than in years; and though everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper, his talents could not have recommended him at any time. | |||
from "Emma," by Jane Austen (1815) | |||