Published by Creative Education P O Box 227 Mankato Minnesota 56002 Creative Education is an imprint of The Creative Company www thecreativecompany us Design and production by Liddy Walseth Art direction by Rita Marshall Printed by Corporate Graphics in the United States of America Photographs by Alamy Photos 12 Art Resource The Andy Warhol Foundation Inc Corbis Fritz Hoffmann In Pictures Swim Ink 2 LLC Getty Images Ben Cranke Dorling Kindersley GK Hart Vikki Hart Hulton Archive Kurt Hutton Picture Post Mansell Time Life Pictures Mercury Archives H Armstrong Roberts Joel Sartore National Geographic Kim Taylor Lisa Valder Gandee Vasan iStockphoto Jill Battaglia James Brey Eric Isselée Stefan Klein Kevin Klopper Sean Locke Ray Roper Duncan Walker Page 28 illustration by Etienne Delessert Copyright 2012 Creative Education International copyright reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data for the hardcover edition Riggs Ann Sentence types and punctuation by Ann Riggs p cm Understanding grammar Includes bibliographical references and index Summary An examination of the rules behind English grammar focusing on the components known as sentences and punctuation whose various forms and types provide the fundamental structures of writing ISBN 978-1-60818-095-0 hardcover ISBN 978-1-56660-059-0 eBook 1 English language Sentences 2 English language Punctuation 3 English language Grammar I Title II Series PE1439 R54 2010 428 2 dc22 2010028299 CPSIA 110310 PO1386 First Edition 246897531
TABLE of CONTENTS CHAPTERS Introduction Sensible Sentences From Simple to Complex Various Interpretations Punctuation Pointers Marks of Distinction Sibling Rivalry Sentences In Complete Control Lifetime Investments The Case for Commas BUILD YOUR OWN SENTENCE ACTIVITIES 4 6 12 18 26 34 10 16 24 32 44 46 47 48 Odd One Out G L O S S A RY SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
Music swells Siblings squabble Owls hoot I am Grammar is And just like that two words can become a SENTENCE The information in a short sentence can be expanded by adding more words that give vivid descriptions or specific reactions Where should those words be placed How does a writer know what PUNCTUATION to use What does all of that mean anyway Words fall into place more easily when one has an understanding of grammar a system of rules that gives writers the foun dation for producing acceptable formal expression It is that acceptable form that appropriate grammar which helps readers comprehend what has been written But why do we call it a sentence Since the 12th century A D our vocabulary has been influenced by our Latin-speaking ancestors their word sentire means to feel be of the opinion Basic sentences have a subject someone or something and a PREDICATE or verb action or state of being Each complete thought means something because of the individual words that comprise it and the punctuation that defines its limits A sentence begins with a capital letter and concludes with an end mark which can be a period a question mark or an exclamation point The ending punc tuation mark indicates to the reader if a group of words conveys a statement a com 4
mand a question or an exclamation Other punctuation helps specify whether the sentences consist only of a MAIN CLAUSE or a combination of a main and one or more SUBORDINATE CLAUSES Does that sound complicated It doesn’t need to be Writers depend on end punc tuation marks as well as other symbols such as commas semicolons colons dash es hyphens apostrophes quotation marks and parentheses to help their writing make sense The word punctuation has its Latin root in punctuat meaning brought to a point That’s the goal to bring the reader to the conclusion the point that you want to make and punctuation gives you an accepted reliable way to communicate Knowing more about words helps you write bet ter sentences knowing more about sentences and punctuation helps you make your point most clearly 5
