How do I punctuate my sentences?

What Not to Do… Be a punctuation sprinkler Buy into the dramatic pause theory

FRAGMENT  Fragments are posers, meaning they look like a sentence with a capital letter and a period, but they are not a sentence.

How to Spot a Fragment Look for dependent clauses or phrases disguised as a sentence. 1. They may lack a main verb.  Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions. 2. They may lack a linking verb.  Fragment: Toys of all kinds thrown everywhere. 3. They may lack a subject.  Fragment: Eating all day until my stomach hurts. 4. They may just be a dependent clause.  Fragment: Because I was tired of working out.

Correcting Fragments Give the fragment what it’s lacking to make it a sentence. Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions. Correction: I am looking for a story with deep thoughts and emotions. Fragment: Because I was tired of working out. Correction: Because I was tired of working out, I left the gym. Note: If it was a dependent clause, you only need to add an independent clause after it, or you may connect it to the independent clause before it.

Common Errors Comma Splice (CS)-When two independent clauses are connected by only a puny, little comma Run-On (RO)- Two independent clauses that are smooshed together with no punctuation (Yes, I said smooshed).

Examples of Comma Splices Notice that two independent clauses are joined by just a comma. This is WRONG!  On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival, it was a gorgeous day.  Georgia beat LSU on Saturday, they must be very good.  English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird, English I students are reading Speak.  We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday, we could just wait until Saturday.

Examples of Run-Ons Notice that two independent clauses are joined without any punctuation. This is WRONG!  On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival and it was a gorgeous day.  Georgia beat LSU on Saturday so they must be very good.  English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird English I students are reading Speak.  We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday we could just wait until Saturday.

Four ways to combine your ideas: 1)Use a comma and a FANBOY to join two independent clauses For And Nor But Or Yet So On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival, and it was a gorgeous day. Georgia beat LSU on Saturday, so they must be very good. English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird, but English I students are reading Speak. We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday, or we could just wait until Saturday.

2) Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are related. Please close the window; the room is too cold. I am going to Knoxville in November; I can’t wait. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday; I eat until my stomach hurts every year.

3) Use a conjunctive adverb plus a semicolon and a comma. Accordingly As a result Besides Consequently Finally For instance Furthermore However In addition Indeed In fact Likewise For example On the contrary Perhaps Meanwhile Moreover Nevertheless Next Nonetheless Otherwise Similarly Still Subsequently Therefore Thus On Sunday, it was a gorgeous day; therefore, Mrs. Wilson went to the Seafood Festival. Georgia beat LSU on Saturday; thus, they must be very good. English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird; on the contrary, English I students are reading Speak.

4) Use a subordinating conjunction. Note: You will use a comma only if your dependent clause is introductory. after although as as soon as because before by the time even if even though every time if in case in the event just in case now that once only if since though unless until when whenever whereas whether or not while Even though Georgia beat LSU, it was a close game. Aaron is selling cheesecake because he is trying to raise money for the band I am going to Knoxville in November since I want to go to a Vols game.

5. Use a period and begin a new sentence with a capital letter. Note: Don’t do this too much or your writing will sound choppy.  On Sunday, it was a gorgeous day. Mrs. Wilson went to the Seafood Festival.  Georgia beat LSU on Saturday. They must be very good.  English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. English I students are reading Speak.

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER use a comma anywhere near the word “because.” It is extremely allergic to commas!

_________If a person who isn’t used to exercise runs five miles, he or she may be in trouble. ________Wearing a seatbelt is not just a good idea it’s the law. _________Julie is a real hypochondriac when her stomach hurts, she is certain that she has a bleeding ulcer. Guided Practice-Yay!

_________My cat Buster loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper. _________Francesca met Will Smith yesterday in L.A. and she got to be on the set of Extra.