THE COMPOUND SENTENCE AND THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
THE COMPOUND SENTENCE
To separate coordinate clauses the following rules on the use of stops are observed.
Coordinate clauses joined asyndetically are always separated by a stop.
The most usual stop is the semicolon.
Arthur looked at his watch; it was nine oclock. (Voynich)
The policeman took no notice of them; his feet were planted apart on the strip of crimson carpet stretched across the pavement; his face, under the helmet, wore the same stolid, watching look as theirs. (Galsworthy)
A colon or a dash may be used when the second coordinate clause serves to explain the first. They serve to express the relations which a conjunction would express.
Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid courses of scriptural quotations. (Twain)
Ellsworth advised a triangular piano the square shapes were so inexpressibly wearisome to the initiated. (Dreiser)
A comma is used to separate coordinate clauses when the connection between them is very close.
A fly settled on his hair, his breathing sounded heavy in the drowsy silence, his upper lip under the white moustache puffed in and out. (Galsworthy)
Coordinate clauses joined by copulative conjunctions.
Clauses joined by the conjunction and may be separated by a comma (if the connection between the clauses is close) or a semicolon (if the clauses are more independent). Occasionally a dash is used.
...a library was a most likely place for her, and he might see her there. (London)
He wondered what boat it was, and why she did not stop at the wharf and then he dropped her out of his mind and put his attention upon his business. (Twain)
Coordinate clauses joined by the conjunctions neither, nor are generally separated by a semicolon.
Martin did not laugh; nor did he grit his teeth in anger. (London)
She would not listen, therefore, to her daughters proposal of being carried home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it necessary. (Austen)
Occasionally a comma is found.
He could not bring them back, nor could he go back to them. (London)
But you cant get at him, neither can we. (Dickens)
Clauses joined by the conjunctive adverbs moreover, besides, then are usually separated by a semicolon.
He seemed to have no desire to go; besides his clothes were not good enough. (Cronin)
It was the custom of that youth on Saturdays, to roll up his shirt sleeves to his shoulders, and pervade all parts of the house in an apron of coarse green baize; moreover, he was more strongly tempted on Saturdays than on other days. (Dickens)
Coordinate clauses joined by disjunctive conjunctions are usually separated by a comma. A dash may also be used.
The whole world had come alive again, was going as fast as we were, or rather we were going no faster than the rest of the world. (Wells)
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Either his going had been again delayed, or he had yet procured no opportunity of seeing Miss Crawford alone, or he was too happy for letter-writing. (Austen)
Occasionally a semicolon or a dash is found before the conjunction or.
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible; or, at least, it was impossible not to try for information. (Austen)
She was disappointed or did it only seem to him? (Wells)
Coordinate clauses joined by adversative conjunctions.
Clauses joined by the conjunctions but and while are separated by a comma or a semicolon. A dash may also be found.
He still smoked, but he drank no more. (London)
Tom was a Whig, while Esmond was a Tory. (Thackeray)
Her own limits were the limits of her horizon; but limited minds can recognize
limitation only in others. (London)
He was driven out into the cold world, he must submit but he forgave
them. (Twain)
Clauses joined by the conjunctive adverbs yet, whereas, still as a rule are separated by a semicolon. A comma is used but seldom.
It gave him exquisite delight to watch every movement and play of those lips as they enunciated the words she spoke; yet they were not ordinary lips such as all men and women had. (London)
Upon the other step was Mr. Jonas; whereas the youngest gentleman was deep in the booking-office among the black and red plackards. (Dickens)
Clauses joined by causative-consecutive conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs are as a rule separated by a comma or a semicolon.
Who? asked Clyde, pretending an innocence he could not physically verify, for his cheeks and forehead flushed. (Dreiser)
Dont approach me; for I hate you beyond measure. (Bennett)
Clauses joined by the conjunction so are separated by a comma.
It was clear that something had happened, so we eased up. (Jerome)
Occasionally we find a dash or a colon before the conjunctions for and so.
Aunt Polly asked him questions for she wanted to trap him into damaging
revealments. (Twain)
Becky was gone to her Constantinople home to stay with her parents during
vacations so there was no bright side to life anywhere. (Twain)
sentence containing direct speech consists of two independent clauses.
Direct speech is given in quotation marks. The clause containing direct speech is separated from the other coordinate clause, which introduces the direct speech, by a comma.
The lady said to her friend, Why, Rawdon, its Captain Dobbin.
(Thackeray)
Come in and have your milk, he said. (Galsworthy)
A colon is also possible.
Bosinney replied coolly: The work is a remarkable one. (Galsworthy)
Junes not here, said his father hastily: went off to-day on a visit.
(Galsworthy)
If the clause containing direct speech is interrogative or exclamatory, a note of interrogation or a note of exclamation is used; the clause is not separated from the other clause by a stop, if the clause containing direct speech precedes the other. If it follows the other clause, a comma or a semicolon is used.
Where do you get your things? he said in an aggravated voice. (Galsworthy)
Id no idea it was so good! he said. (Galsworthy)
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She sank down by his side and cried: Oh, Phil! its all so horrid!
(Galsworthy)
Then Soames asked: When do you expect to have finished? (Galsworthy)
Exercise 1. Translate into English, pay attention to the translation of dependent clauses:
1. - , . 2. , ? 3. , , . 4. , ? 5. , . 6. , , . 7. , .
