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Answers
to the Punctuation Quiz
1.
George walked to town _ to buy groceries for his family.
No comma is needed
because the infinitive phrase of motive is in its regular place and
because the phrase is introduced by to, the infinitive structure
word.
2. To buy groceries for his family _ George walked to town.
A comma is needed
after the infinitive phrase because it has been front-shifted and because
there is no structure word to show where the phrase ends and the main
clause begins.
3. So his family would have food _ George walked to town.
A comma is needed
after the verb-modifying clause because it has been front-shifted and
because there is no structure word to show where the phrase ends and
the main clause begins. So here is a short form of so that,
so it is a VMCI1. VMCI1 is an acronym for one kind
of subordinating conjunction which introduces a clause which modifies
a verbal.
4. George walked to town _ so his family would have food.
A comma is not needed
before the verb-modifying clause because it has a structure word to
show where the modifying clause begins and the main clause ends. So
here is a short form of so that, so it is a VMCI1.
5. Bill served well _ so he won his match.
A comma is needed
because So here is a coordinating conjunction connecting two
independent clauses. It cannot be replaced by so that.
6. He went to work without his tools. Therefore _ he was fired.
A comma is needed
because therefore is a conjunctive adverb and because conjunctive
adverbs are conventionally set off by commas.
7. He went to work without his tools. So _ he was fired.
No comma is needed
because so is a coordinating conjunction and because a coordinating
conjunction is not followed by a comma unless there is a parenthetical
immediately following it—He went to work without his tools.
So, of course, he was fired. So cannot be replaced by
so that, so it is not a VMCI1.
8. He went to work without his tools _ but he was not fired.
A comma is needed
because but is a coordinating conjunction connecting two independent
clauses.
9. Bill worked hard at his job at HEB _ and he was promoted.
A comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two independent
clauses.
10. Bill washed, rinsed _ and put away the dishes.
In a series, a comma
is needed before the and.
11. Bill washed the dishes carefully _ and put them away hastily.
No comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two verb
phrases.
12. Bill wrote a paper about The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy
_ and presented it at a convention.
No comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two verb
phrases.
13. I know that Bob works hard _ and that he will be promoted.
No comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two dependent
clauses.
14. I know that Bob works hard _ and he will be promoted.
No comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two dependent
clauses. That is understood before the clause beginning with
he.
15. I know Bob works hard _ and he will be promoted.
No comma is needed
because and is a coordinating conjunction connecting two dependent
clauses. That is understood before both clauses.
16. I know that Bob will be promoted _ if he works hard.
A comma is not needed
before the verb-modifying clause because it has a structure word to
show where the modifying clause begins and the main clause ends.
17. I know that Bob will be promoted _ because he works hard.
A comma is not needed
before the verb-modifying clause because it has a structure word to
show where the modifying clause begins and the main clause ends.
18. I know that if he works hard _ Bob will be promoted.
A comma is needed
after the verb-modifying clause because it has been front-shifted and
because there is no structure word to show where the phrase ends and
the main clause begins. If is a VMCI.
19. Bob _ if he works hard _ will be promoted.
Verb-modifying clauses
appearing between the subject and verb are setoff by commas. If
is a VMCI1.
20. Because of his hard work _ he will be promoted.
Because
with the of is always a preposition With front-shifted long
prepositional phrases, a comma is usually placed before the main clause.
21. At noon _ he went to work.
A comma is optional
with short front-shifted prepositional phrases.
22. He went to work without his tools. But _ he was not fired.
No comma is needed
because but is a coordinating conjunction, and a coordinating
conjunctions is not followed by a comma unless there is a parenthetical
immediately following it.
23. Because he works hard _ he will be promoted.
A comma is needed
after the verb-modifying clause because it has been front-shifted and
because there is no structure word to show where the phrase ends and
the main clause begins. Because without the of is
always a VMCI1.
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A
Cavalcade of Oilfield Novels
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A Guide to the Grammar of Successful Writers—
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Connecting
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Purposeful
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A Syntactic Guide to English Punctuation—
Writing Style 3
Word
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A Guide to Selecting Words
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