The Understood Introductory Word for Dependent Clauses

Margie Wakeman WellsClauses, Sentence Structure, The Comma, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

The explanation begins with the grammatical fact that a coordinate conjunction — “and,” “but,” “or,” “nor” — must link grammatically EQUAL parts. It cannot link an independent clause to a dependent clause. Remember that it can never be “He is tall and Bob.” So if this is true — and it is — we have to look at this construction: …

Phrases and Clauses — The Never-ending Dilemma

Margie Wakeman WellsClauses, MWW Blog, Phrases, Sentence Structure Leave a Comment

Phrases and Clauses: How can I tell the difference? Does it matter? Can I punctuate them the same? Do adverb phrases always take commas or never take commas? Does “essential” have anything to do with it? These two language elements, phrases and clauses, function differently from each other and are punctuated according to two different sets of rules. Understanding how …

Commas on Steroids Starts This Sunday

Margie Wakeman WellsClauses, Essential versus Nonessential, The Comma Leave a Comment

My first-time-ever class on commas alone, Commas on Steroids, begins this Sunday, January 13, and then meets both days next weekend, January 19 and 20. (As I am putting the class together, I am thinking we need more time, but that will have to be a Part 2 comma class at a later date!) We will spend the entire six …

Oops. Need to Make a Correction

Margie Wakeman WellsClauses, MWW Blog Leave a Comment

I have a sentence in the last post that is missing a comma. The commas are surrounding the dependent clause. …Do you remember [that, (when I saw you at Christmas), you promised to help me with that]? It just goes to show that we can miss something no matter how many times we proofread! Happy punctuating! Margie

The Adverb Clause

Margie Wakeman WellsClauses, MWW Blog Leave a Comment

In my opinion, understanding dependent clauses and the way they work inside a sentence and how they are punctuated is at the very heart of understanding the language. When clauses are punctuated correctly, it helps the reader decipher what is going on in a sentence and produces a sentence that flows and is easy to read. With that said, I …