Choosing Punctuation to Fit Your Sentence
When you have two or more independent clauses joined by a FANBOY, you need this punctuation.
What is a comma?
Correct this sentence:
“While I was at soccer practice my brother finished his homework.”
While I was at soccer practice, my brother finished his homework.
Specific detours do not require punctuation. True or False?
True!
This comma comes before the last item in a list.
What is the serial (Oxford) comma?
In the sentence “My family took me to Disneyland for my ninth birthday, that day was one of the best days of my life,” this punctuation should replace the comma.
What is a semicolon?
Add commas where needed in this sentence:
“Before the semester ended my professor reminded us that if we wanted extra credit we had to turn in the assignment early.”
Before the semester ended, my professor reminded us that if we wanted extra credit, we had to turn in the assignment early
Which sentence is a correct example of a dependent detour?
1.Alfred got a job as a butler, because he excels at being polite.
2.Alfred got a job as a butler because he excels at being polite.
#2 “because” is the helping word and signals to the reader that more information is coming.
When one item in a list has its own comma, you must separate list items using this punctuation mark.
What is a semicolon?
You would use this punctuation when you have two independent clauses and the second explains the first.
What is a colon?
This kind of phrase often begins with words like in, on, during, to, with. If it starts a sentence, you should follow it with a comma.
What is a prepositional phrase?
Video games that include excessive violence can be harmful to an adolescent’s development.
Which of the 3 detours is this an example of?
A specific detour because “...that include excessive violence...” is necessary information, and it uses the word that.
This punctuation mark can set off a list in the middle of a sentence for emphasis.
What is a dash (or em dash)?
This acronym stands for the conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
What are FANBOYS conjunctions?
These words—like after, although, because, if, since, when, while—turn an independent clause into a dependent one. If they begin a sentence, use a comma after the clause.
What are subordinating conjunctions?
I contacted a person yesterday that could help me solve my computer networking problem. What is incorrect about this sentence?
That should be replaced with who when describing people
Fix this sentence: I’ve been to Paris, France, Paris, Texas, and Paris, Idaho.
What is “I’ve been to Paris, France; Paris, Texas; and Paris, Idaho.”