hackgift.blogg.se - Commas to clarify meaning examples

Commas to clarify meaning examples series#

The easiest way to understand what is meant by appositives is to look at examples. The book, once swift and clear, was completely dry.Ĭommas that separate non-restrictive appositives.The once swift and clear brook was completely dry.The detective, clever and resourceful, quickly discovered the clues.The clever and resourceful detective quickly discovered the clues.As a matter of fact, they did not come near here.Ĭommas that separate words used out of their usual order.Women, in general, are more gentle than men.

hese are words added to or inserted in the basic sentence pattern. These are interjections that are not strong enough to warrant the use of exclamation points. Remember, the noun of address is not the subject of the sentence. The name of the person, animal, or thing spoken to is separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma or commas. These are used when the writer is reproducing direct conversation.

To Lulu, Belle told her innermost secrets.Ĭommas that separate "intruders." Words that add afterthoughts, emphasis, or shades of meaning are set off from the rest of the sentence by commas.

To Lulu Belle told her innermost secrets.

Scurrying below, the people looked like ants.

Scurrying below the people looked like ants.When the plane flies over, the children will cheer.When the plane flies over the children will cheer.A comma should be used at any point in a sentence where words running together might be ambiguous or convey the wrong meaning. In the most general sense, this is the primary use of all commas - to prevent misreading of a sentence.

He bought a battered Ford pick-up truck.Ĭommas used to influence the flow of ideas.The pilot followed the huge low-flying oblong object.Non-coordinate adjectives do not take "and" between them, and changing their order changes the meaning of the sentence. The look on her face was serene, thoughtful, and bemused.The dog's coat was wet, muddy, and bloody.Adjectives that are considered non-coordinate are not separated by commas.Ĭoordinate adjectives can be interchanged without changing the meaning of the sentence, and they can be separated by "and." Those that are considered coordinate adjectives are separated by commas. Since all adjectives do not carry quite the same function in a sentence, they are not always separated by commas in the same way. Jerry lives at 1225 East 105th Street, Detroit, Michigan Ken lives at 12206 Kenworthy Road, Akron, Ohio and Bert lives at 1406 Budd Street, Los Angeles, California.Ĭommas with adjectives in a series.

Commas to clarify meaning examples series#

When a series becomes too complicated for commas alone to clarify the meaning, semicolons can be of great help.

They are men who fought for their country, who would die for their country, but who would prefer to love and live in peace.Ĭommas with semicolons in series.

We ran into the house, up the stairs, through the bedroom, and onto the back porch.

I bought peanuts, popcorn, ice cream, and jelly beans.

To separate words, phrases, and clauses in series in one of the simplest and most common functions. There are nine standard uses for the comma.Ĭommas in series.

Used in series of words, phrases, clauses that are too complicated for commas alone.

Between two main clauses, instead of a period.

In compound sentences before coordinate conjunctions.

There are three situations in which the semicolon is used:

To introduce quotations of more than one sentence.

After the term "as follows" or when it is implied.

Use the colon under the three following conditions: There are three principal tools of internal punctuation: