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 …
The Connecting Adverb
A “conjunctive adverb” is a word that is usually an adverb that has been pulled out to the front of the sentence to connect the sentence it is in to the one in front of it. It has a semicolon in front of it and a comma after it if it is more than one syllable. …He had been on …
Starting a Sentence with “And”
There is no problem starting a sentence with the word and. Though we would not necessarily choose to start a short sentence with and, it is not incorrect. When many sentences are strung together with and between them, you must call a halt and start a sentence with and. The rule of thumb is no more than three separate sentences before you …
A “Run-On” Sentence
A “run-on” sentence: Two sentences that have no conjunction between them that are put together as one sentence either with a comma instead of a period or with no punctuation at all. …He always came in late and sat down and checked Facebook before he even started to do any work, that’s right. …She owned a condo, he owned a …