At 01:20 AM 16/3/96 -0500, you wrote:
I have a request. Could some of you wonderful english majors (and other
assorted masters of the english language) post a few rules on punctuation?
I'ld like to know more about how the hell to use semi-colons and commas.
Okay Gopher. The following is taken from a punctuation guide I bought
after joining the list, but I've learned alot more about grammar just by
having Jeanne H. read my installments :) This may sound complicated, but
keep reading- it's not that bad. More to follow after I get some shuteye ;)
COMMAS Part 1:
Commas basically seperate two sentence parts that can be misread if not
seperated such as-
While we were eating a rattlesnake approached our campsite.
Well, perhaps some people *do* eat rattlesnakes, but most prefer hotdogs,
hamburgers etc. around a campsite ;) The problem with the sentence above is
that the two ideas have to be seperated by a comma so that it isn't misread.
Here are the gory details concerning the use of the comma.
1) Co-ordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet)
When a co-ordinating conjunction connects two or more independent clauses
(word groups that would stand alone as separate sentences) a comma must
procede it. A comma tells the reader that one independent clause has come to
a close and another is about to begin.
Exception: If the two independent clauses are short and there is no danger
of misreading, the comma may be omitted. The comma should *not* go between
two compound elements such as:
A good money manager controls expenses(,) and invests surplus dollars to
meet future needs.
The comma above is not necessary since "and" is joining two ideas that
"compound" to form a description of the money manager. They are not separate
clauses.
2) Introductory word groups
When Irwin was ready to eat, his cat jumped off the table.
In the sentence above, the comma tells the reader that the introductory
clause or phrase has come to a close and that the main part of the sentence
is about to begin.
Exception: The comma may be omitted after a short adverb clause or phrase
if there is no danger of misreading. Example:
In no time we were at 2,800 feet.
The comma can also tell the reader that they are about to learn the identity
of a person or thing described; therefore, the comma is usually required
even when the phrase is short:
Knowing that he couldn't outrun a car, Kevin took to the fields.
3) Between the items of a series.
When three or more items are presented in a series, those items should be
seperated from one another with commas. Items in a series may be single
words, phrases, or clauses.
At Dominique's one can order fillet of rattlesnake, bison burgers, or
pickled eel.
Although some writers view the comma between the last two items as
optional, most experts advise using it because its omission can result in
misreading.
4) Between Co-ordinate adjectives not joined by a co-ordinating conjunction.
When two or more adjectives each modify a noun separately, they are
"co-ordinate".
Mother has become a strong, confident, independent woman.
Adjectives are co-ordinate if they can be joined with "and" (strong and
confident and independent) or if they can be scrambled (an independent,
strong, confident woman).
Adjectives that do not modify the noun separately are "cumulative".
Three large grey shapes moved slowly towards us.
Beginning with the adjective closest to the noun "shapes", these modifiers
lean on each other, piggyback style, with each modifying a larger word group.
"Grey" modifies "shapes", "large" modifies "gray shapes", and "three"
modifies "large grey shapes". We cannot insert the word "and" between
cumulative adjectives (three and large and grey shapes). Nor can we scramble
them (grey three large shapes). So no comma is required.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Part 2 and Semi-Colons later this afternoon
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!
Panda (Graveyard Shifter)
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Bubblegum Cross" & "The Dark Traveler"
askuse@execulink.com
BG Crush & Raven's Garage web sites:
http://www.netzone.com/~ozymand/
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