5.4 Choosing Punctuation for Effect
There is not always a single correct way to punctuate a sentence. There are, for example, a great many ways to combine two independent clauses to make a coordinated complex clause.
Recall that an independent clause is a clause that has a subject, and you can use the Tag Question test (Lesson 2.1) and the Subject-Auxiliary Inversion test (Lesson 2.2) to find the subject of the independent clause.
Now, let’s take two independent clauses:
I went to the store. I forgot to buy bread.
And combine them into a single sentence.
There are many correct ways to do it. Here are just a few.
I went to the store, but I forgot to buy bread.
I went to the store; however, I forgot to buy bread.
I went to the store; I forgot to buy bread.
Discuss how the various ways of punctuating convey different meaning and focus.
key words: punctuation, commas, meaning, semicolon
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.3b Choose punctuation for effect
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1a Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.3a Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
Here is this lesson as a pdf.