Punctuating within the Complex Sentence

A complex sentence is a minimal composition of two clauses, one is the basic element, whereas the other is a constituent or part of the first. The first one is called the main clause, the second one is the subordinate clause.

There are some rules of punctuating within the complex sentence which you should observe while writing:

(1) Use a comma to separate the introductory subordinate clause from the main clause.

When Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. (M. Twain)

While Joe was slicing bacon for breakfast, Tom and Huck asked him to hold on a minute; they stepped to a promising nook in the river-bank and threw in their lines; almost immediately they had reward. (M. Twain)

When he came back into the room, I was sitting in another machine. (E. Hemingway)

While the water was heating, Ma Parker began sweeping the floor. (K. Mansfield)

The comma is frequently omitted after very short subordinate clauses. But if its omission can cause misreading, you should use a comma.

Wherever Tom and Huck appeared they were courted, admired, stared at. (M. Twain) When he was in town their appeal to him was not very strong. (E. Hemingway)

But when he returned, home was not what it used to be.

As we expected, prices continued to rise throughout the year.

(2) Use a comma to set off subordinate clauses following the main clause and explaining, amplifying, or offering a contrast to it. Do not set off such clauses if they are closely related to the main clause.

The young lady in charge remembered it, because the message had excited her very much, mentioning, as it did, Sir Bartholomew Strange's death. (A. Christie)

He was a little grey man with long grey whiskers, who walked about by himself. (K. Mansfield)

The young Student was still lying on the grass, where she had left him, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes. (0. Wilde)

Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. (0. Wilde)

B u t: A great actor does not cease to act because he is not on the stage any more. (A. Christie)

One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovely music.(0. Wilde)

Every Sunday morning Ethel would read aloud while Ma Parker did her washing.(K. Mansfield)

She was a woman whose flowers were part of her life. (A. Christie)

(3) But sometimes we construct the complex sentence where the subordinate clause is in the middle of the main clause. In this case while punctuating it you should follow the rule above.

Mr. Satterthwaite, who had been looking at the door which had just closed behind the other two, gave a start as he turned to Poirot. (A. Christie)

Really, when I begin to reflect on the importance of my position, I am almost moved to tears. (0. Wilde)

The three weeks he spent on his back this time seemed an entire age. (M. Twain)

The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated. (0. Wilde)

 

CAPITALIZATION

Here are some rules of using capital letters (capitalization) for you to know and apply if you want your writing to be clearer and easier to read:

Capitalize

(1) the first word of every sentence:

Before commodities can be sold on the market and money received for them they have to be produced.

(2) the first word of every line of poetry:

Bright blue the sky,

Sun up on high –

That was the little boys picture.

(3) the first word of a direct quotation:

He said, “May I have a glass of water, please?”

(4) names of peoples, nations, races, religions, and languages:

Russian                     

English              

Catholic

South American              

Negro              

German

(5) the names of particular organizations, buildings, schools, companies:

American Broadcasting System     

Abraham Lincoln High School

International Industrial Exhibition     

Astoria Hotel

N o t e: The words hotel, hospital, building, school, etc. are not capitalized when you are just writing in general about these things:

He lives in the hotel now. Father was taken to hospital this morning. She is a teacher in a school.

(6) the days of the week and the months of the year:

Tuesday

Saturday                  

February         

October

(7) holidays:

May Day, Victory Day, the October Revolution Day, Boxing Day, Labor Day, Armistice Day.

(8) names of cities, towns, countries, states, counties:

Minsk, London, Houston, India, Maryland, Kent

(9) names of streets and avenues, boulevards, squares:

Oxford Street, Wall Street, Gorky Street, Lenin Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Linden Boulevard, Times Square, Red Square.

(10) names of rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, bays:

the Mississippi River, Lake Baikal, the Black Sea, the Pacific Ocean, Hudson Bay.

(11) names of parks:

Central Park, Hyde Park, Memorial Park.

(12) first, middle and last names of people:

Mary, Peter, George Washington, John Henry Jackson, Peter the Great.

(13) first words and every important word in titles of books, plays, magazines, stories, songs, poems, etc. (Don't capitalize in titles such words as of, the, and, but, with, etc.):

The Fight with a Wolf; The Gift of the Magi; Indian Camp.

(14) names of important historical events, historical periods, historical docu­ments:

the Great Patriotic War, Middle Ages, Potsdam Declaration.

(15) words showing a person's title, rank, profession, etc.:

Captain Fisher, Professor Borovik, President Roosevelt, Senator Kennedy, Dr. Smith.

 

N o t e: When the words are not attached to a specific name, they are not capitalized: The doctor went out on the porch.

(16) words showing family relationship when these are used with the name of the person involved:

Uncle John, Aunt Mary, Cousin Ann, Sister Helen.

The words Mother, Father, Grandmother and Grandfather are always capitalized when they are used instead of their names.

The children stayed at home with Grandmother.

May I go out, Mother?

(17) names of planets, constellations, stars, etc.:

Venus, Jupiter, Great Bear, Little Bear, Saturn, the Sun.

(18) the four points of the compass when they refer to parts of the world:

the North, the South, the West, the East.

N o t e: When these words are used to show direction, they are not capitalized.

Walk three miles east and one mile south and you will come to the station.

(19) abbreviations of titles and degrees, names and initials of persons, names of organizations and companies:

Dr. J.B. Horn; John Brown, M.A., Ph.D.; UNESCO; BBC.

(20) the letter I when you mean yourself:

When he and I were young, we were friends.