to us that he had not thought over the matter.
A useful distinction will afterwards be drawn between the different
kinds of relative clauses. (Rule XIV.)
X. Words thrown in so as to interrupt slightly the flow of a sentence are
marked off by commas.
He resolved, therefore, to visit the prisoner early in the morning.
This, I think, is the right view of the case.
The first ideas of beauty formed by the mind are, in all probability,
derived from colours.
The following are some of the words and phrases that come under this
rule: therefore, too, indeed, however, moreover, then, accordingly,
consequently; in short, in fine, in truth, in fact, to a certain extent, all
things considered.
This rule of high pointing should be applied very sparingly, and might
really be restricted to cases like the "I think" of the second example.
Nowadays the tendency is against the pointing of such words as
"therefore" and "indeed."
Where the words thrown in make a very distinct break in the sentence,
they should be pointed off by means of the dash or of brackets.
XI. Where two parts of a sentence have some words in common, which
are not expressed for each of them, but are given only when the words
in which they differ have been separately stated, the second part is
marked off by commas.
His classification is different from, and more comprehensive than, any
other which we have met.
This foundation is a nursing-mother of lay, as distinguished from
religious, oratorios.
These examples come within the principle of Rule X.
XII. When words are common to two or more parts of a sentence, and
are expressed only in one part, a comma is often used to show that they
are omitted in the other parts.
London is the capital of England; Paris, of France; Berlin, of Germany.
In the worst volume of elder date, the historian may find something to
assist or direct his enquiries; the antiquarian, something to elucidate
what requires illustration; the philologist, something to insert in the
margin of his dictionary.
Though many writers constantly punctuate contracted sentences in this
way, it is well not to insert the comma when the meaning is equally
clear without it. It is unnecessary in the following sentence:
Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
XIII. Words placed out of their natural position in the sentence are
often followed by a comma.
(1) The object is usually placed after the verb; when placed at the
beginning of the sentence, it should be separated from the subject by a
comma, unless the meaning would otherwise be perfectly clear and be
readily seized.
The proportions of belief and of unbelief in the human mind in such
cases, no human judgment can determine.
There is the same reason for inserting the comma in such cases as there
is for inserting it after a long subject. Moreover, there is often need of
some device to remove the ambiguities that are caused by inversion. In
English, the meaning of words is so greatly determined by their
position that, in altering the usual arrangement of a sentence, there is
risk of being misunderstood. The danger of inserting the point in this
case is that the object may be read with the words going before, and not
with its own verb. If there is a possibility of this, the point should not
be used.
Of course no point should be placed after the object in such a sentence
as the following:--"One I love, and the other I hate."
(2) An adverbial phrase, that is a phrase used as an adverb, is usually
placed after the verb; when it begins the sentence, a comma follows it
unless it is very short.
From the ridge a little way to the east, one can easily trace the windings
of the river.
In order to gain his point, he did not hesitate to use deception.
In ordinary circumstances I should have acted differently.
No point would be used in the above sentences, if the adverbial phrases
occurred in their usual position.
He did not hesitate to use deception in order to gain his point.
Nor is any point used when, as often happens in such sentences, the
verb precedes the subject.
Not very far from the foot of the mountain lies the village we hope to
reach.
(3) An adjective phrase, that is a phrase used as an adjective, is usually
placed immediately after the word which it qualifies; when it appears in
any other place, a comma is often usefully placed before it.
A question was next put to the assembly, of supreme importance at
such a moment.
The phrase "of supreme importance at such a moment" is to be taken
along with "question"; the comma shows that
![](qr/36831/5.png)
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.