Hi all,
Is there a rule governing the use of commas with connectors/transitional phrases? And which method would you use to teach this to students without confusing them? I've done my research but failed to come up with an easy formula. I'm new to TEFL and have not started teaching yet - I'm still struggling to grasp the basics of English grammar!
connectors and commas
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fluffyhamster
- Posts: 3031
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:57 pm
- Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
Confucius, he say, 'Look how the tumbleweed roll then stop, roll then stop.'
But seriously, I am not quite sure of the question, let alone "the" answer. Threads on "little things" like commas can generate more heat than light, and punctuation isn't the first thing on my list, nor it seems most authors (it gets tacked on almost as an afterthought in appendices in most grammars, although something like the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language probably goes into things in considerable detail).
The best thing probably would be to get books such as Lynn Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves, or the late Larry Trask's guide to punctuation:
http://www.lynnetruss.com/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Guide-P ... 0140513663
Not sure if this is more or less the same thing as Trasks's Penguin Guide above (I don't actually own that book, or the Truss for that matter, although I could scrounge the latter from a friend easily enough), but it might answer whatever questions you have and therefore save you some money!
http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/dep ... ode00.html
But seriously, I am not quite sure of the question, let alone "the" answer. Threads on "little things" like commas can generate more heat than light, and punctuation isn't the first thing on my list, nor it seems most authors (it gets tacked on almost as an afterthought in appendices in most grammars, although something like the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language probably goes into things in considerable detail).
The best thing probably would be to get books such as Lynn Truss's Eats, Shoots and Leaves, or the late Larry Trask's guide to punctuation:
http://www.lynnetruss.com/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Guide-P ... 0140513663
Not sure if this is more or less the same thing as Trasks's Penguin Guide above (I don't actually own that book, or the Truss for that matter, although I could scrounge the latter from a friend easily enough), but it might answer whatever questions you have and therefore save you some money!
http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/dep ... ode00.html
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wanttolearn
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:42 am
Hi Fluffy,
Maybe my question was a bit vague. What I meant to ask was how do we punctuate words such as 'however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, therefore' etc.. There seem to be so many variations that I'm confused as to how I would teach students to use them correctly. Is there an easy/simple way of teaching the rules governing the use of commas, semi-colons etc with these linking words?
Maybe my question was a bit vague. What I meant to ask was how do we punctuate words such as 'however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, therefore' etc.. There seem to be so many variations that I'm confused as to how I would teach students to use them correctly. Is there an easy/simple way of teaching the rules governing the use of commas, semi-colons etc with these linking words?
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fluffyhamster
- Posts: 3031
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:57 pm
- Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
Well, take a look at the sections on commas in the Trask webpage, especially 'The Joining Comma' stuff. A lot of it will be things that you already subconsciously know, and some of it may be "rules" that you yourself sometimes break (for example, do you find all the asterisked sentences equally unacceptable?). I don't really have the time or desire (or I'll admit quite the knowledge) right now to type up anything even half approaching what Trask has written. But I think it is commendable that you are taking an interest in something that many (including obviously me) tend to overlook and can't really be bothered to think about and really "nail" (i.e. formulate rules for in our own words), even after teaching for quite a while! 