Topic # 2: Punctuation
PROBLEM: Incomplete sentences or thoughts; mis-used commas, lack of commas, or missed semi-colons.
Following are some examples of errors I sometimes see. If any of your sentences resemble these, this is to HELP you, not harm you or hurt your feelings. Once again, if you have any further questions, feel free to message me! :)
Ex.
1. I went out to the store to buy a drink simply because I was thirsty.
2. The party was fun I got to see my best friends.
3. “It’s okay,” Louis said trying to make a point.
SOLUTION: Remember comma rules!
1. While this sentence may look normal, it is in fact missing a comma. ‘I went out to the store to buy a drink’ is a complete thought. ‘Simply because I was thirsty’ would be the extra information tacked on. A comma after ‘drink’ provides more clarity in the sentence.
I went out to the store to buy a drink, simply because I was thirsty.
2. ‘The party was fun’. Again, this is a complete thought. This sentence could be broken into two sentences, or you could add a semi-colon after the beginning. You could even add a conjunction in between the clauses (like because, and, but, or, so. A good acronym to remember this is ‘FANBOYS’. *For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So*).
The party was fun. I got to see my best friends.
The party was fun; I got to see my best friends.
The party was fun, because I got to see my best friends.
3. This one is probably the most seen on Wattpad. A lot of people want to add the thoughts and feelings of the person speaking, but to do this, a comma needs to be inserted. So, ‘Louis said’ and ‘trying to make a point’ are NOT complete thoughts. They need to be separated by a comma.
“It’s okay,” Louis said, trying to make a point.
OTHER RULES FOR COMMAS:
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp
This site has a complete list of comma rules and usage! :) Good luck!
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