Commas

1. Commas

2. use commas to link main clauses with conjunctions use commas to link introductory elements use commas to link nonrestrictive elements use commas to link absolute phrases use commas to prevent misreadings What will I get out of this?You will...

4. Wait a minute. What does all that mean?

5. . Well, first we have to agree on some basic vocabulary.

6. Write these terms down on some scratch paper. You may need them to understand new concepts. • Main Clause--a phrase that can stand alone as a sentence. • Subordinate Clause--a phrase just like a main clause, except it starts with a subordinating word. (Like “except”). • Conjunction--conjunctions link words, phrases, and clauses. Example--AND

7. Using commas to link main clauses with conjunctions... • It is not as complicated as it sounds. • That really only means that we use commas when joining two main clauses that are just as important as each other.

8. Examples • You might not like these exercises, but they are a useful learning tool. • The company had bad customer relations, so it went under. • Inverness Caley won the League Championship last year, but Ayr United are out of this world. • My car died on the motorway, and I was late to work.

9. Now it is your turn. • Write down three sentences that have two main clauses separated by a comma and a conjunction. • HINT!! They will probably look like the sentences on the previous screen. • You can see the previous screen again by typing “P.”

10. Using Commas to link introductory elements... • It is not as difficult as it sounds. • It simply means that we use a comma to separate the introduction of an idea from the idea itself.

11. Examples • Unfortunately, my cat was behind the car when I backed out of the driveway. • By the time I graduate, I will know where I want to go to college. • After the movie was over, we went out for pizza. • Exhausted, we ran the last three miles of the race.

12. Now it’s your turn... Copy down these sentences, and insert commas when needed. • Fortunately the rumour was not true. • Wounded the soldier stopped fighting. • Without thinking Margie bit Oscar. • From Selena to Nicole Brown Simpson many women have been victims of violence. • Picket signs in hand the demonstrators marched around the courthouse.

13. Using commas to link nonrestrictive elements... • Is really easy. • First, what is a restrictive element? • A restrictive element limits, or restricts the meaning of the word or words it applies to. • Now that we know that, what is a nonrestricive element? • Well, it is the opposite of a restrictive element. • A nonrestrictive element gives information about the word or words it modifies, but does not limit them.

14. More explanation... • Only nonrestrictive elements need the commas. • Example of Restrictive... (no comma needed) My brother Lee graduated second in his class. (works if you have just one brother) • Example of Nonrestrictive... (needs the comma) My cousin, Courtney, just got married. (only works if you have more than one cousin)

15. Now it’s time for practice!! Choose the nonrestrictive sentences, write them down, and add commas where needed. • My best friend John has the flu. (I have only one best friend) • My mum’s friend Mrs. Edwards is taking us to the zoo. (Mum has more than one friend) • The Mace store is down the street from my house. (There is also a Spar) • The Spar store is down the street from my house. (There is only one store)

16. Using commas to link absolute phrases... • Can be useful. • What is an absolute phrase? • An absolute phrase modifies a whole main clause rather than any word or word group in the clause. • It is not connected to the rest of the sentence by a conjunction, a preposition, or a relative pronoun. • Absolute phrases usually consist of at least a participle and its subject(a noun or pronoun).

17. Prepositions, Relative Pronouns, and Participles • A quick review: • Prepositions are words that represent where a boy can be on his bike. • ...on his bike • ...below his bike • ...beside his bike • Relative Pronouns refer back to another pronoun used earlier in a sentence. • Examples are: who, whoever, whom, whomever, whose, which, what, that...

18. Prepositions, Relative Pronouns, and Participles • All verbs have two participle forms, a present and a past. • The Present Participle consists of the dictionary form of the verb plus the ending---ing. ex. beginning, ending. • The Past Participle of most verbs consists of the dictionary form plus ---ed or d. ex. believed, completed. • Some common verbs have an irregular past participle: begun and swam.

19. Where were we before the short review?

20. Oh yes, Absolute Phrases... • An absolute phrase modifies a whole main clause rather than any word or word group in the clause. • Examples of absolute phrases that modify the whole main clause... • Their homework done, the children may watch whatever they want on TV. • The children fed, Amy put them all to bed. • The electricity out, we could not finish our homework.

21. Absolute Phrases, Part II • They are not connected to the rest of the sentence by a conjunction, a preposition, or a relative pronoun. • Example: Tired to the bone, we reached the campsite after midnight. • Note that there was no conjunction in that sentence.

22. Absolute Phrases, Part III • Absolute phrases usually consist of at least a participle and its subject(a noun or pronoun). • Example: Above the water, the fish seemed to fly into the net. • Note that the absolute phrase, “Above the water,” consists of a preposition (above) and its subject (the water).

23. Take a stab at it yourself... • Read the following sentences. On your paper, write only the sentence that contains an absolute phrase. • Filled with water, her boots pulled her to the bottom of the lake. • Wearing her father’s jacket, Liza ran around in the snow. • His clothes, the fabric tattered and the seams ripped open, looked like Salvation Army rejects.

24. Using Commas to prevent misreadings.... • Is very important to everyone. • You could sound pretty silly if you misread a headline: • “Building Burns, Leaves Twenty Homeless” as • “Building Burns Leaves, Twenty Homeless”

25. Practice Preventing Misunderstanding... • You supply the commas where needed. • Though happy people still have moments of self-doubt. • In research subjects have reported themselves to be generally happy people. • Yet those who have described sufferings as well as joys. • Of fifty eight subjects reported bouts of serious depression.

26. Congratulations! • You have just learned what millions of school students will never know, how to use the Comma! • Please collect all of your written answers and turn them in to your teacher. • Thank you for your participation.