Guide to English grammar


After the guests had all left



Yüklə 1,14 Mb.
səhifə60/92
tarix08.12.2022
ölçüsü1,14 Mb.
#73067
növüGuide
1   ...   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   ...   92
Expert - A practical guide to English grammar

After the guests had all left, we had to tidy up.
After their departure, we had to tidy up.
Afterwards, we had to tidy up.
The comma is more necessary if the adverbial is long. After a short phrase there is often no comma.
Afterwards we had to tidy up.
A comma is much less usual when the adverbial comes at the end of the sentence.
We had to tidy up after the guests had left.
We had to tidy up afterwards.

A practical guide to English grammar 58


We do not normally use a comma before an infinitive clause of purpose.
Lots of people come here to look round the market.
But commas are usual with linking adverbs, truth adverbs and comment adverbs.
Yes, I have received your letter.
All of us, as a result, were feeling pretty tired.
There wasn't much to eat, however.
On the whole,
the party was a success.
Nothing got broken, luckily.

NOTE

  1. When something is added as an afterthought, we can use a comma, a dash or brackets.

My husband does the cooking, sometimes.
I'd love a holiday- if I could afford it.
Everything should be OK (I hope).

  1. The name of the reader/listener is separated off by commas.

I hope to see you soon, Melanie.
Dear Alex, Thank you for your letter.

2 Noun clauses


A noun clause is not separated off by commas. This rule includes indirect speech.
It is a fact that there are more cars in Los Angeles than people.
We know the earth goes round the sun.
Everyone was wondering what to do.

For direct speech, • (4).

3 Relative clauses


An identifying relative clause is not separated off.
People who write plays sometimes act in them too.
But an adding clause has commas. It can also have dashes or brackets.
Shakespeare, who wrote many famous plays, also acted on the stage.

For details about the different kinds of relative clause, • 272(5).


4 Apposition


We sometimes use commas around a phrase in apposition, but not always.
Irving Berlin, the famous composer, couldn't read music.
The composer Irving Berlin couldn't read music.

For details, • 14.

5 Phrases which explain
A dash or colon comes before a phrase which explains, which adds the missing information.
Only one American President has been unmarried- James Buchanan.
The product is available in three colors: white, green and blue.

6 Lists
In a list of more than two noun phrases, we use commas. The last two items are linked by and/or, often without a comma.
The official languages of the United Nations are Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian (,) and English.


Yüklə 1,14 Mb.

Dostları ilə paylaş:
1   ...   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   ...   92




Verilənlər bazası müəlliflik hüququ ilə müdafiə olunur ©azkurs.org 2024
rəhbərliyinə müraciət

gir | qeydiyyatdan keç
    Ana səhifə


yükləyin