HOW TO PUNCTUATE A SENTENCE

You must learn these easy rules!

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING

**Just as each word plays a role in

making the meaning of a sentence,

so does punctuation.**

EXAMPLES

• Remy likes to spread ice-cream on her face but Catie M likes yogurt.

• Nedine and Thomas went to Disneyland, and rode Space Mountain.

• Jake sent for Sam for he wanted to tell him a secret.

• Mr. Poturica smells like onions but Darren doesn’t mind at all.

• Stacey laughs at clowns, Brian feels afraid.

COMMA RULE #1 (C1 and UC2)

• Use a comma before FANBOYS that join

two independent clauses.

• Do not use a comma between

compound elements that are not

independent clauses; do not use a

comma alone between these clauses.

EXAMPLES• Inside the kindergarten on the rug

Moises and Katie T took naps.• Unlike Jie Jacob has mastered

ultimate frisbee.• As a result David won the Nerd

Award.• Sleeping Grace and Nick offended the

teacher.• If you build it he will come.

EXAMPLES

• With the intention of making it big in Hollywood James left home forever.

• On the cat litter from Bennett’s burrito fell.

• Furthermore Kaiden absolutely rocks!• Cut Dean cried crocodile tears.• When Jailah speaks we all listen.

COMMA RULE #2 (C2)• Use a comma after an introductory word

group that starts a sentence:

– Two or more phrases

– One prepositional phrase only if it would be misread without the comma

– Transitional expression (might be a phrase)

– One participle or participle phrase

– One adverbial (dependent) clause

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING

• Essential words, phrases, and clauses change (or restrict or make unclear) the meaning of the sentence.

• Removing nonessential words, phrases, and clauses from a sentence does not drastically change its meaning.

EXAMPLES

• Chantal an accomplished athlete has greatly inspired Thomas.

• Her friend Darren eats bugs for fun.• The person singing beautifully is

Maya.• Haleigh who likes jazz dance wants

to demonstrate her moves to us.• Jie knows the one who kicked Jake’s

lip.

EXAMPLES

• Grace understands Sidhwa’s book Cracking India well.

• Stacey the boss will teach you how to work it.

• Dean looking down got knocked out by a hip check.

• Catie M who plays volleyball is tall.• Allison brought her power saw

which she got from Home Depot.

COMMA RULE #3 (C5 & UC3)

• Use commas to set off nonrestrictive

(nonessential) elements. (They

usually come in the middle or end of

a sentence.)

• Do not use commas to set off

restrictive (essential) elements.

EXAMPLES

• Brian Jake and David like to twerk at the Echoplex.

• Three students with big feet are Moises Darren and Stacey.

• Remy prepared ham and eggs macaroni and cheese and fajitas for the class.

COMMA RULE #4 (C4)

• Use a comma between three or more

words, phrases, or clauses in a series.

• Do not use a comma before the first or

after the last item in a series

• Nouns used in pairs should be

considered single units and should not

be divided by commas.

EXAMPLES

• Jie owns a cute cuddly toy poodle.

• Haleigh enjoys volleyball therefore she plays on the Chadwick team.

• Nick is crazy but not an axe murderer.

• Dean please do not yell in class.

• Jailah smiles nicely doesn’t she?

• The ghost of Michael Jackson said “I will visit Sam tonight!”

EXAMPLES

• Nedine grabbed a greasy stanky hamburger and threw it at me.

• Thomas is tall moreover he has particularly long arms.

• Maya has brothers not lizards.

• Don’t listen to him at all Chantal.

• You hit on Bennett didn’t you?

• “Everybody, look at me” yelled Grace.

MISC. COMMA RULES

• Use commas between adjectives in place of the word and (C3).

• Use commas to set apart transitional expressions (C2) and contrasted elements.

• Use commas to set apart nouns of direct address, the words yes and no, interrogative tags, and mild interjections (not exclamations) (C2).

• Use commas with signal phrases to set apart direct quotations.

EXAMPLES

• Allison has a brother, Remy has two.• Nedine is very wild, however, she puts

on a great act of politeness.• Grace regularly travels between

London, England, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA, and Cardiff, Wales.

• Catie M needs a time-out, on the other hand, maybe she deserves a second chance.

SEMICOLONS

• Use a semicolon between closely related

independent clauses not joined by

FANBOYS

• Use a semicolon between independent

clauses joined by a transitional expression.

• Use a semicolon between items in a series

that have commas.

EXAMPLES

• Katie T’s backpack contains the following books, pens, and a turnip.

• People know Remy for two things her high-spirited nature and her dance moves.

• Remember what Jaquie said “I don’t care what Mr. Poturica wants!”

• Jacob is the man he owns five Ferraris.• Do not mess with Kaiden she will give

you a beat down you’ll never forget.

COLONS

• Use a colon after an independent clause

to direct attention to a list, an

appositive, or a quotation

• Use a colon between two independent

clauses if the second one explains the

first

EXAMPLES

• Strong man Sam using one arm lifted 588 pounds off the floor.

• Eight people Haleigh, her parents, her grandma, and four friends hopped in the limo to go shopping.

• Ryan has a lot of special qualities his suave ways, friendly attitude, and upbeat demeanor.

• I would love to go snowboarding with you stop, here comes Brian.

THE DASH

• When typing, it consists of two hyphens not surrounded by spaces

• Sets off supplemental information or parenthetical comments in order to emphasize them

• Sets off an appositive that has commas• Comes before a sentence-ending list, a

restatement, or a dramatic shift in tone or thought.

REVIEW

• Use a comma before FANBOYS that join two main clauses.

• Use a comma after an introductory word group, especially two or more prep. phrases and an adverb clause.

• Use a comma between three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series.

• Use commas to set off nonessential elements but not essential ones.

• Fewer is better!