Page 162 - DENG102_COMMUNICATION_SKILLS_II

Unit 11: Use of Capitals and Basic Punctuations

! notes
Caution If the clauses are short, the comma separation is unnecessary.
2. To separate long introductory elements from the rest of the sentence.

Example: When all the proposals had been fully investigated and discussed, we were
able to make the final decision.
On Friday we were able to make the final decision. (Introductory element is particularly
short, so comma separation is unnecessary)
3. To separate words in a series of three or more

Example: The controller of accounts, vice-president and president took part in the
investigation.
!

Caution The last comma in the series is generally optional unless it is needed for clarity.

Example: The controller of accounts, vice-president and general manager, and the
president took part in the investigation. (Last comma indicates that one person holds the dual
position of vice-president and general manager)
4. To set off parenthetical expressions from the rest of the sentence
A parenthetical expression is inserted into a sentence; therefore the latter must be
grammatically complete without it. Unless it begins or ends a sentence, a parenthetical
expression must be set off by two commas.

Example: Ram, unlike his brother, was a good salesman.
!

Caution If the expression does not cause an abrupt interruption, the comma separation is
often unnecessary (especially with words “also,” “too,” “indeed,” “at least,” “perhaps,”
“likewise”).

Example: Ram’s personality was indeed more pleasing than his brother’s.
!

Caution When a parenthetical expression (particularly a lengthy one) causes an abrupt
interruption, dashes or parenthesis may be used instead of commas. (Like the comma,
the dash and parenthesis must be used in pairs. However they should be used much less
frequently than the comma.)

Example: Ram was a good salesman—he sold more than anyone else in the company—
and had a pleasing personality. (Emphatic)
Ram was a good salesman (he sold more than anyone else in the company) and had a
pleasing personality. (Less emphatic)
5. To set off non restrictive elements
Non restrictive elements are parenthetical (see (d) above) and are not essential to the
meaning of the sentence. They must be set off by two commas.

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