Clause and Punctuation Summary
1. End an independent clause with a period.
independent clause.
What is an independent clause?
It can take several forms:
Subject Verb [S-V]
The sun rises. Subject Verb Object [S-V-O]
The parrot whistled a strange tune. Subject Linking Verb Predicate Noun [S-LV-PN] The boy is a hero. Subject Linking Verb Adjective [S-LV-A] The girl is heroic. A Partial List of LinkingVerbs:
is have been seem smell am had been appear sound are will be look remain was become feel prove were grow taste
2. Join two independent clauses with a semi-colon.
independent clause ; independent clause
3. Or join two independent clauses with a semi-colon and a conjunctive adverb + a comma.
independent clause; conjunctive adv, independent clause
Partial List of Conjunctive Adverbs:
accordingly | for example | in addition | nevertheless | thereafter |
afterward | for instance | in fact | notwithstanding | therefore |
afterwards | for one thing | in general | obviously | thereupon |
all in all | fourth | in other words | of course | third |
also | furthermore | in particular | on the whole | thus |
as a matter of fact | granted | in short | otherwise | to be sure |
clearly then | hence | in summary | second | to make matters worse |
consequently | hereafter | indeed | similarly | unfortunately |
finally | heretofore | likewise | still | until |
first | however | moreover | then |
4. Or join two independent clauses with a comma and a conjunction.
independent clause, conjunction independent clause
Coordinating conjunctions:
for | and | nor | but | or | yet | so |
5. Join a dependent clause and an independent clause with a comma
dependent clause, independent clause
Partial List of Subordinating Conjunctions (Words Beginning Dependent Clause)
after | as though | if | now | so much as | until | whereas | whoever |
although | because | if ever | now that | so near as | what | wherever | whom |
as | before | if only | once | so that | whatever | whether | whomever |
as close as | but that | in case | provided | such that | what if | whether ... or | whose |
as if | but what | in order that | provided that | than | whatsoever | which | whosoever |
as long as | except | in which | since | that | when | whichever | why |
as often as | except that | lest | so far as | though | whenever | while | |
as soon as | how | like | so long as | unless | where | who |
6. Join an independent clause and a dependent clause with a subordinating conjunction and no punctuation.
independent clause (subordinating conjunction) dependent clause
7. Interrupt an independent clause with a comma and a parenthetical addition.
independent, parenthetical element, clause
Partial List of Parenthetical Elements:
of course | I believe | on the other hand | however | therefore |
by the way |
8. Follow an independent clause introducing a series with a colon.
independent clause : A, B, and C.
Practices to Avoid
DO NOT JOIN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH JUST A COMMA.
independent clause, independent clause = comma splice
DO NOT JOIN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH NO PUNCTUATION.
independent clause independent clause = fused sentence