Lesson Five

LESSON FIVE 

In this Lesson you are going to learn how to punctuate; and  that is the real reason you have been studying conjunctions and clauses.  

Review: You know how to find verbs and their subjects. You also know how  to identify Independent Clauses and Dependent Clauses. You know the difference between a phrase and a clause. You also know to watch for the  various types of conjunctions (Simple, Correlative, and Subordinate).  

The next part of this Lesson is going to teach you how to punctuate correctly by giving you some sentence patterns to follow.  

SENTENCE PATTERN #1: If a sentence has two (or more)  Independent Clauses, it is called a compound sentence. These  Independent Clauses are frequently joined by Simple Co-ordinate  Conjunctions (BOY FAN -- but, or, yet, for, and, nor). In Sentence  Pattern #1, the place where the two Independent Clauses are joined together is going to be called a major intersection -- just like on a highway  where two major interstate highways come together. The major  intersection between the two Independent Clauses needs to be  joined with a comma in combination with the Simple Co-ordinate  Conjunction. The comma plus the Simple Co-ordinate Conjunction  together are strong enough to mark the major intersection. 

TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information. 

SENTENCE PATTERN #2: In general, if there are commas or  semicolons (referred to as "internal punctuation") in either of the  Independent Clauses, then the intersection between the two  clauses needs a semicolon before the Simple Co-ordinate Conj.  To put it another way, pretend you are going down a major interstate  highway; and you come to another major interstate highway. That is a  major intersection and is similar to the intersection between two Independent  Clauses. A major intersection must have a huge sign to mark the  intersection. The same thing is true for sentences. When you have two  Independent Clauses and they come together in one sentence, you must put  a bigger/better/stronger sign than the minor intersections in either of the two  parts; a semicolon is a bigger/better/stronger mark of punctuation than is a  comma. The main intersection where the "two highways cross" (the  Independent Clauses) must be marked with a bigger/better/stronger mark of  punctuation than any of the little intersections (internal punctuation) so that  the major intersection looks more important than a minor intersection.  

There are two types of sentences which fit under Sentence Pattern #2.  

SENTENCE PATTERN 2A: Designates sentences using Simple Co ordinate Conjunctions. 

TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information. 

A Conjunctive Adverb has to be set apart with a comma. 

It is because of that comma (internal punctuation) within the Independent  Clause that forces you to put a bigger/better/stronger mark of punctuation at  the major intersection between the two Independent Clauses so that the  reader knows where the major intersection is. 

TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information.  

SENTENCE PATTERN #3: If the compound sentence parts  (Independent Clauses) are not joined by a Simple Co ordinate Conjunction, then a semicolon is used at the major  intersection between the clauses. A comma is not a strong enough  mark of punctuation to hold the two Independent Clauses together by  itself. If a person tries to hold the two Independent Clauses together with  only a comma (no Simple Co-ord. Conj. present), this is a serious punctuation error and is called a run-on sentence.  

TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information. 

SENTENCE PATTERN #4: Sentence Patterns #1, #2A, #2B, and #3 all  deal with compound sentences (two or more Independent Clauses).  Sentence Pattern #4 deals with complex sentences and has to do with the  Subordinate Conjunctions you have already learned -- although, as if,  because, if, so that, than, unless, even though, when, where, while,  that, though, whenever, wherever, whether, as long as, as though, in  order that, provided, whatever, as far as, considering, inasmuch as,  so long as, whereas -- (those which are also on the preposition list) -- after, as, before, since, until, till. Remember you learned that  Subordinate Conjunctions come at the beginning of Adverbial Dependent  Clauses. Sentence Pattern #4 will show you how to punctuate these  sentences.

If the Subordinate Conjunction (which introduces an Adverbial  

Dependent Clause) comes at the beginning of the sentence, then  you need to put a comma after it. This comma warns the reader that  the Dependent Clause is finished and that the Independent Clause is about to  begin.  

TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information.