How do I punctuate

my sentences?

What Not to Do…• Be a punctuation

sprinkler• Buy into the

dramatic pause theory

FRAGMENTFragments are posers, meaning they look like

a sentence with a capital letter and a period, but they are not a sentence.

How to Spot a Fragment

Look for dependent clauses or phrases disguised as a sentence.

1. They may lack a main verb.

Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions.

2. They may lack a linking verb.

Fragment: Toys of all kinds thrown everywhere.

3. They may lack a subject.

Fragment: Eating all day until my stomach hurts.

4. They may just be a dependent clause.

Fragment: Because I was tired of working out.

Correcting FragmentsGive the fragment what it’s lacking to

make it a sentence.

Fragment: A story with deep thoughts and emotions.

Correction: I am looking for a story with deep thoughts and emotions.

Fragment: Because I was tired of working out.

Correction: Because I was tired of working out, I left the gym.

Note: If it was a dependent clause, you only need to add an independent clause after it, or you may connect it to the independent clause before it.

Common ErrorsComma Splice (CS)-When two independent clauses are connected by only a puny, little comma

Run-On (RO)- Two independent clauses that are smooshed together with no punctuation (Yes, I said smooshed).

Examples of Comma SplicesNotice that two independent clauses are joined by just a comma. This is WRONG!

On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival, it was a gorgeous day.

Georgia beat LSU on Saturday, they must be very good.

English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird, English I students are reading Speak.

We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday, we could just wait until Saturday.

Examples of Run-OnsNotice that two independent clauses are joined

without any punctuation. This is WRONG!

On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival and it was a gorgeous day.

Georgia beat LSU on Saturday so they must be very good.

English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird English I students are reading Speak.

We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday we could just wait until Saturday.

Four ways to combine your ideas:

1)Use a comma and a FANBOY to join two independent clauses

ForAndNorButOrYetSo

On Sunday, Mrs. Wilson went to the seafood festival, and it was a gorgeous day.

Georgia beat LSU on Saturday, so they must be very good.

English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird, but English I students are reading Speak.

We could go see Despicable Me 2 this Friday, or we could just wait until Saturday.

2) Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are related.

Please close the window; the room is too cold.

I am going to Knoxville in November; I can’t wait.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday; I eat until my stomach hurts every year.

3) Use a conjunctive adverb plus a semicolon and a comma.

AccordinglyAs a resultBesidesConsequentlyFinallyFor instanceFurthermoreHoweverIn additionIndeedIn factLikewiseFor exampleOn the contraryPerhaps

MeanwhileMoreoverNeverthelessNextNonethelessOtherwiseSimilarlyStillSubsequentlyThereforeThus

On Sunday, it was a gorgeous day; therefore, Mrs. Wilson went to the Seafood Festival.

Georgia beat LSU on Saturday; thus, they must be very good.

English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird; on the contrary, English I students are reading Speak.

4) Use a subordinating conjunction. Note: You will use a comma only if your dependent clause is

introductory. afteralthoughasas soon asbecausebeforeby the timeeven ifeven thoughevery timeifin casein the event just in casenow that

 

onceonly ifsincethoughunlessuntilwhen wheneverwhereaswhether or notwhile

Even though Georgia beat LSU, it was a close game.

Aaron is selling cheesecake because he is trying to raise money for the band

I am going to Knoxville in November since I want to go to a Vols game.

5. Use a period and begin a new sentence with a capital letter.

Note: Don’t do this too much or your writing will sound choppy. On Sunday, it was a gorgeous

day. Mrs. Wilson went to the Seafood Festival.

Georgia beat LSU on Saturday. They must be very good.

English I Honors students are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. English I students are reading Speak.

NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER

use a comma anywhere near the word “because.”

It is extremely allergic to commas!

_________If a person who isn’t used to exercise runs five miles, he or she may be in trouble. ________Wearing a seatbelt is not just a good idea it’s the law.

 _________Julie is a real hypochondriac when her stomach hurts, she is certain that she has a bleeding ulcer.  

Guided Practice-Yay!

_________My cat Buster loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper.

 _________Francesca met Will Smith yesterday in L.A. and she got to be on the set of Extra.