The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition pages. A print edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation is also available for purchase. Every generation of english scholars despairs because the language appears to. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. Most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a. In the first sentence, the commas within the parentheses are necessary because they separate items in a series, and this series makes up the information within the parentheses. The blue book takes the guesswork out of editing, writing and grammar in general.
Some essays look as though the student loaded a shotgun with commas and blasted away. Of all the punctuation marks in english, this one is perhaps the most abused and misused. This handy workbook is ideal for teachers, students in middle school through college, esl students, homeschoolers, and professionals. Concentrating on the proper use of commas is not mere form for forms sake.
Remember that if you can put and between the adjectives that describe the noun and they still make sense, then there should be a. The blue book of grammar and punctuation will amuse you while demystifying the rules of grammar and punctuation. Feb 10, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition english usage rules explained in plain english it doesnt take a lifetime to master english grammar and punctuation. Commas can also be used to separate three or more items in a list. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more.
Most people use commas to ensure that meaning is clear and, despite grammatical rules, will drop a comma if their meaning is retained without it. Written without jargon for all of us who need simple answers to our everyday questions, this new, updated version has 50% more material rules, exercises, tests, and answersand a new cover that is both sleek and durable. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Jan 01, 1997 the blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. Try not to use a comma unless you can apply a specific rule from this page to do so.
It doesnt take a lifetime to master english grammar and punctuation. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus. The last item is usually joined by a conjunction like and, or, or nor. Place a check mark in front of sentences that are correct. Rules do change spacing after periods, colons, question marks, and exclamation marks originally, typewriters had monospaced fonts skinny letters and fat letters took up the same amount of space, so two spaces after ending punctuation marks such as the period were used to make the text more legible. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in theabove example, it is known as the oxford comma. Valuable for anyone who takes tests or writes reports, letters, web pages, e. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma. Rule 2 selection from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. The blue book of grammar and punctuation commas rule 1. Remember, too, that a pause in reading is not always a reliable reason to use a comma.
An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes, 11th edition. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct comma placement. Construction of the transalaska oil pipeline had to address issues caused by permafrost. Many people are uncertain about the use of commas, though, and often sprinkle them throughout their writing without knowing the basic rules. In the current edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation and on the website, we have stated a preference for use of the serial, or oxford, comma. Like the rule for joining sentences, the comma goes right before the conjunction. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes, 11th edition book. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes, 11th edition now with oreilly online learning oreilly members experience live online training, plus books, videos, and.
Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of grammar, punctuation, and usage. But in writing, the comma only makes the sentence seem stilted. Writers are often tempted to insert a comma between a subject and verb this way because speakers sometimes pause at that point in a sentence. Jan 15, 2008 the blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. There are some general rules which you can apply when using the comma. Jane strauss guide to commas gives us sixteen rules, followed by a quiz that sells for 99 cents. Placement with periods, commas, question marks, and semicolons. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules,realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. Surfnetkids recommends five comma rules websites for families and classrooms. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. The blue book of grammar and punctuation by jane straus. Or, how about the rule, use commas to set off expressions that interrupt the folow. This article is about serialcomma rule red, white, and blue enjoy your reading.
Written without jargon for all of us who need simple answers to our everyday questions, this new, updated version has 50% more materialrules, exercises, tests, and answersand a new cover that is both sleek and durable. Buy a discounted paperback of the blue book of grammar and punctuation online from australias leading online bookstore. There are lots of rules about comma usage, and often the factors that determine whether you should use one are quite subtle. He 54 the blue book of grammar and punctuation commas rule 1. You dont have to be an english master to understand punctuation and sentence structure. Commas punctuation rules the blue book of grammar and. Separate phrases, words, or clauses in lists when making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition. Otherwise, writers have considerable leeway in the use of commas. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus on. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage. Booktopia has the blue book of grammar and punctuation, an easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes by jane straus. The blue book grammar and punctuation pdf download in its 11th version right now, the blue book of punctuation and sentence structure will assist you create and talk with disadvantage. Just place a comma between each item and an appropriate punctuation mark at the end.
However, you will find that in english there are many other ways to use the comma to add to the meaning of a sentence or to emphasise an item, point, or meaning. The blue book of grammar and punctuation, an easytouse. With over 200,000 copies sold, this is one of the most highly trusted english language resources available. Jul 27, 2019 for anyone who wants to understand the major rules and subtle guidelines of english grammar and usage, the blue book of grammar and punctuation offers comprehensive, straightforward instruction. Although we are often taught that commas are used to help us add breathing spaces to sentences they are, in. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. In the second sentence, however, the comma is used to punctuate the main sentence specifically, to separate the dependent and independent clauses. In a series consisting of three or more elements, separate the elements by commas. Oct 21, 2014 used properly, commas make the meaning of sentences clear by grouping and separating words, phrases, and clauses. Thanks again to lester and tom, who recently released a new edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Most newspapers and magazines drop theoxford comma in a simple series, apparently feeling its unnecessary. This book lists the rules of grammar, punctuation and capitalization in a way that is simple and easy to understand.
The blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes by jane straus. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition. A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guide. Commas quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and punctuation. To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Remember that if you can put and between the adjectives that describe the noun and they still make sense, then there should be a comma in between them. A few rules, discussed below, have become obligatory. Oct 01, 2006 in the current edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation and on the website, we have stated a preference for use of the serial, or oxford, comma.
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