Grammar Bootcamp

Periods, Commas and Semi-colons

ENGL 124 B03 Winter 2010

Periods• Terminate full sentences

After the review had been conducted, he left the naval service and

devoted himself to his inventions.

Periods• Terminate full sentences

After the review had been conducted, he left the naval service and

devoted himself to his inventions.

SENTENCE FRAGMENT:After the review had been conducted and the publicity

surrounding the disaster had begun to fade.

Periods• Terminate full sentences

After the review had been conducted, he left the naval service and

devoted himself to his inventions.

• Indicate abbreviationsDoctor Dr.

id est i.e.

pages pp.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentenceThey gave their best in the final rounds. Their best was

not enough.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentenceThey gave their best in the final rounds. Their best was

not enough.

They gave their best in the final round; their best was not enough.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentenceThey gave their best in the final rounds. Their best was

not enough.

They gave their best in the final round; their best was not enough.

COMMA SPLICE:They gave their best in the final round, their best was

not enough.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentenceThey gave their best in the final rounds. Their best was not enough.

They gave their best in the final round; their best was not enough.

COMMA SPLICE:They gave their best in the final round, their best was not enough.

RUN-ON SENTENCE:They gave their best in the final round their best was not enough.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentence• Separate items in a list which follows a colon

The sweaters come in red, green, blue and yellow, and red and grey.

Semi-colons• Link two independent clauses into a single

sentence• Separate items in a list which follows a colon

The sweaters come in red, green, blue and yellow, and red and grey.

The sweaters come in: red; green; blue and yellow; and red and grey.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY:I am afraid to fix it however it must be done.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY:I am afraid to fix it however it must be done.

She paid for the meal was expensive.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY:I am afraid to fix it however it must be done.

She paid for the meal was expensive.

He ran past his hands in the air.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

SYNTACTIC AMBIGUITY:I am afraid to fix it however it must be done.

She paid for the meal was expensive.

He ran past his hands in the air.

He escaped from the car before it sank and swam to the shore.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the

prepared mind.– Louis Pasteur

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the

prepared mind.– Louis Pasteur

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.– James Thurber

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the

prepared mind.– Louis Pasteur

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.– James Thurber

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

– Simon Cameron

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

EXCEPTION:

Restrictive clauses do NOT have to be indicated by

commas before and after

The poem that contained the offending lines was omitted.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

EXCEPTION:

Restrictive clauses do NOT have to be indicated by commas before and after

The poem that contained the offending lines was omitted.

Non-restrictive clauses DO have to be indicated by commas before and after

The poem, which contained some offensive material, was omitted.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

RULE OF THUMB:

You can tell if a clause is restrictive or nonrestrictive

by substituting a proper name for the subject.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

RULE OF THUMB:

You can tell if a clause is restrictive or nonrestrictive

by substituting a proper name for the subject.

Bob who contained something was omitted.

Bob, who contained some offensive material, was omitted.

Proper names cannot take restrictive clauses

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and endThe quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is

important.– Martin

Luther King Jr.

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and end

• Set off direct speechYou see things and you say, “Why?” But I dream things

that never were and I say, “Why not?”

– George Bernard Shaw

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and end

• Set off direct speech

• Separate items in a list or seriesI do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who

has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has

intended us to forgo their use.

– Galileo

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and end

• Set off direct speech

• Separate items in a list or series

• Other miscellaneous uses• Yes and no

No, vertigo is something other than the fear of falling.– Milos Kundera

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and end

• Set off direct speech

• Separate items in a list or series

• Other miscellaneous uses• Yes and no

• Words of address

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.– The Wizard of Oz

Commas• Show where clauses begin and end

• Show where interjections begin and end

• Set off direct speech

• Separate items in a list or series

• Other miscellaneous uses• Yes and no

• Words of address

• Dates and locations

January 24, 1965

North Battleford, Saskatchewan