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| === Period === | | === Period === |
| * periods mark a full stop between complete sentences | | * periods mark a full stop between complete sentences |
| ** a complete sentence has a finite verb (subject + verb) and makes a complete thought | | ** see Independent clause (IC) below for what constitutes a complete sentence |
| * so long as the sentence has a finite verb and a makes a complete thought, even with additional phrases or DCs, the sentence is complete | | * eliminate periods in possible answers when there is not an IC on both sides of the period. |
| ** (see QID 886dc9f9, aab74a3b)
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| * the SAT will not ask to distinguish between use of other punctuation that separates independent clauses | | * the SAT will not ask to distinguish between use of other punctuation that separates independent clauses |
| ** such as semicolons and commas (+ conjunction) | | ** such as semicolons and commas (+ conjunction) |
| ** because the choice between a period, semicolon or comma + CC is stylistic and not rules-based
| | *** periods separate complete sentences from each other as distinct thoughts |
| *** periods separate ideas; semicolons combine them for comparison; commas + CCs combine them as two equal elements in a compound sentence | | **** i.e., IC << . >> IC |
| | | *** semicolons juxtapose sentences for comparison |
| * imperatives (commands) '''are sentences''', even though the subject is implied and not explicitly present | | **** i.e., IC >> ; << IC |
| ** ''Take this example.'' << is a sentence | | *** commas + conjunction combine sentences and ideas into a single thought, with each IC weighed equally |
| *** = ''[You] take this example.'' | | **** i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC |
| **** in the imperative, the "you" subject is implied | |
| *** so punctuate the imperative as a complete sentence or IC | |
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| Elimination:
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| * a sentence must be a complete thought, so do not confuse a DC from a sentence
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| ** a clause that begins with a SC, such as "by," "since," or "while," will not make a complete thought (see QID ce81d0b7)
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| *** (the SC requires additional information to complete the thought) | |
| * see semicolon entry for elimination of both a period and a semicolon if both are possible answers with the exact same wording | |
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| === Semicolon === | | === Semicolon === |
| * semicolons juxtapose complete sentences as ICs for comparison or emphasis of a relation | | * semicolons juxtapose complete sentences as ICs for comparison or emphasis of a relation |
| * eliminate semicolons if there are not ICs on both sides of the semicolon | | * eliminate semicolons if there are not ICs on both sides of the semicolon |
| ** be careful about use of phrases or dependent clauses in between two ICs and separated by a semicolon:
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| *** IC, DC; DC; IC = correct
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| *** IC, Phr; Phr, IC = correct
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| *** in these instances, the DC or Phr are modifying the IC and so are not grammatically necessary
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| **** so if you remove them, you will see that you have two ICs that are combined by a semicolon.
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| **** see QID 89fbc3eb,
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| ****
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| * an exception is use of the semicolon as a "super comma" (see above) | | * an exception is use of the semicolon as a "super comma" (see above) |
| ** rarely used on the SAT (see QID aaa1907f, be37d4ae, aaa1907f) | | ** rarely used on the SAT |
| * note that the SAT will ask students to decide if a transition word (conjunctive adverb) belongs two the first or second clause, separated by a semicolon (see QID 1ee4485c, be37d4ae, 78b88c04)
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| Elimination:
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| * if there is no IC on either side of the semicolon, it is incorrect
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| ** if there are answer options for a semicolon and a period or a comma + CC, and otherwise with the exact same wording, then they are all wrong (see QID ac5536c1, 8f6d6ae, 62120607)
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| ** UNLESS there is something different about their wording (see QID 73a6603c, which offers
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| *** '''A) ; by adding''' and
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| *** '''D) . Adding'''
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| **** << note that "; by adding" is not the same as ". Adding", so these possible answers are not doing the same thing).
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| === comma === | | === comma === |
| * commas create a pause | | * commas create a pause |