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Punctuation

• Tells readers how words are grouped together and
  how they are separated
• Primarily determined by sentence structure (not
  by breathing)
• Choices governed by rhetorical situation and
  stylistic effect

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Clauses

• Group of words with subject and main verb
• Two types of sentence-level clauses
• Main (independent) clause
• Subordinate (dependent) clause
• At least one main clause in every complete
  sentence

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Main Clause

• Begins with a subject
• May be joined together with a coordinating
  conjunction
• and, or, for, nor, yet, but, so
• Tomorrow, the team meets at noon.
• I know that the team meets at noon.
• The team will meet at noon, but I am busy until
  1230.
• The team meets at noon because thats when
  everyone can come.

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Subordinate Clauses

• Begins with a subordinate conjunction
• because, although, if, as, when, etc.
• or relative pronoun
• that, which, who, etc.
• The team will meet at noon because the room is
  unavailable in the morning.
• The meeting is scheduled so that the team can
  use the conference room.

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Punctuating Clauses
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Conjunctive Adverbs

• Often confused with subordinating conjunctions
• Can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a
  clause
• However, the design isnt finished yet.
• The design, however, isnt finished yet.
• The design isnt finished yet, however.
• Common conjunctive adverbs include however,
  therefore, thus, hence, nevertheless, consequently

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Punctuating Conjunctive Adverbs
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Phrases

• A phrase is a group of words belonging together
  but lacking verb, subject, or both.
• Phrases usually named for first grammatical
  element.
• Prepositional phrases in the software, on the
  desktop, of the designer, with the customer
• Verbal phrases to run the program, going at top
  speed, conceived by the designer
• Adverbial phrases before distribution, after
  development, during the design phase

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Punctuating Phrases
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Relative Clauses

• Begin with relative pronouns such as who, whom,
  which, that
• Modify nouns
• Are embedded in another clause
• Are either restrictive or nonrestrictive

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Types of Relative Clauses

• Restrictive relative clauses
• Provide essential information about the subject
  or define the subject
• Team leaders who lack patience intimidate new
  members.
• (Not all team leaders lack patience.)
• Nonrestrictive relative clauses
• Provide additional information about the subject
  not essential to the meaning or needed to define
  or identify the subject
• The replacement part, which was promised for two
  weeks, was finally shipped yesterday.

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Punctuating Relative Clauses
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that or ,which?

• Use that with a restrictive clause
• The process that I like best is too expensive.
• Use a comma and which with a nonrestrictive
  clause
• The problem, which should have been solved long
  ago, is finally resolved.

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A Word of Caution

• How you punctuate relative clauses can radically
  change the meaning of a sentence.
• Environmentalists, who have no respect for
  industry, annoy her.
• Environmentalists who have no respect for
  industry annoy her.

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Punctuating Lists
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Explanations Following Sentences

• When a complete sentence implies a question,
  place a colon before the answer.
• What follows the colon can be a single word, a
  phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph.
• We have only one thing left to do celebrate!
• Their performance was exceptional despite
  supply problems and unseasonably wet weather,
  they completed the project on time and under
  budget.

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Inserted Information

• Commas, parentheses, or dashes separate inserted
  information from the rest of the sentence.
• Commas suggest minor interruptions.
• Jill Smith, President of MBI, will visit the site
  next week.
• This procedure, which is clearly superior to the
  existing one, will be unpopular with certain
  departments.

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Inserted Information

• Parentheses often indicate optional information
  and clarifications.
• Some organisms live in an anaerobic (airless)
  environment.
• Parentheses are also used to enclose numbers or
  letters.
• The procedure involves three basic steps (1)
  strip, (2) dip, (3) dry.

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Inserted Information

• Dashes provide a greater sense of separation or
  emphasis than commas or parentheses.
• All three models XL,XM, and XN are in stock.
• Dashes are also used to signal asides.
• Dashes are effective if not overused.
• Everyone must now wear identification cards a
  consequence of the recent rash of thefts.