Alpa Wiramaya - අල්ප විරාමය - Comma.
[මෙම පාඩම පසුව සිංහලට පරිවර්තනය කර, පළ කරනු ඇත!]
{This Lesson would be translated into Sinhalese & published later!}
The Comma is the most frequent of punctuation marks. It is used to indicate the shortest pause made in speaking or reading aloud.
The Uses of the Comma.
The Comma is used:—
I. To separate the verb and the nominative of address:
Come here, John, at once.
2. To separate three or more words of the same part of speech (nouns, adjectives, adverbs or verbs):
Roses may be white, pink, crimson or yellow.
3. To separate words or phrases of the same class used in pairs as:
High and low, rich and poor, young and old, all have their duties to their motherland.
4. To separate words or phrases in apposition:
Caesar, the great Roman general, was murdered by his political opponents.
5. After a nominative absolute:
The gate of the fort having been shattered, the enemy swarmed in.
6. To separate words and phrases like well, however, besides, indeed, on the whole, at last, moreover:
Well, you are right in this case.
I am not, indeed, sorry for your failure.
7. To separate the direct speech from the reporting verb:
‘No’, said he, ‘I never did anything of the kind.’
8. To separate a participial phrase from a main sentence:
Walking in the garden, I saw many lovely flowers.
9. To separate co-ordinate clauses in a compound sentence:
The sea was rough and stormy, but the ship reached her destination.
10. To separate an adverb clause in a complex sentence:
Though he made repeated attempts to swim the channel, he was always beaten back.
Insert commas in the proper places in the following sentences, and give your reasons in each case:—
1. I came I saw I conquered.
2. It was a cold dry foggy dismal morning in early spring.
3. Mary come here I have something to say to you.
4. We eat to live we do not live to eat.
5. Well if he does say so what does it matter?
6. However if you behave yourself I will let you go.
7. Have several pencils ready sharpened so that you will not have to stop writing.
8. I went one way he another.
9. He was of medium height rather stout sunburnt with a grey moustache a ready smile and trusty eyes.
10. Your English on the whole is not bad.
The Uses of the Comma.
The Comma is used:—
I. To separate the verb and the nominative of address:
Come here, John, at once.
2. To separate three or more words of the same part of speech (nouns, adjectives, adverbs or verbs):
Roses may be white, pink, crimson or yellow.
3. To separate words or phrases of the same class used in pairs as:
High and low, rich and poor, young and old, all have their duties to their motherland.
4. To separate words or phrases in apposition:
Caesar, the great Roman general, was murdered by his political opponents.
5. After a nominative absolute:
The gate of the fort having been shattered, the enemy swarmed in.
6. To separate words and phrases like well, however, besides, indeed, on the whole, at last, moreover:
Well, you are right in this case.
I am not, indeed, sorry for your failure.
7. To separate the direct speech from the reporting verb:
‘No’, said he, ‘I never did anything of the kind.’
8. To separate a participial phrase from a main sentence:
Walking in the garden, I saw many lovely flowers.
9. To separate co-ordinate clauses in a compound sentence:
The sea was rough and stormy, but the ship reached her destination.
10. To separate an adverb clause in a complex sentence:
Though he made repeated attempts to swim the channel, he was always beaten back.
Insert commas in the proper places in the following sentences, and give your reasons in each case:—
1. I came I saw I conquered.
2. It was a cold dry foggy dismal morning in early spring.
3. Mary come here I have something to say to you.
4. We eat to live we do not live to eat.
5. Well if he does say so what does it matter?
6. However if you behave yourself I will let you go.
7. Have several pencils ready sharpened so that you will not have to stop writing.
8. I went one way he another.
9. He was of medium height rather stout sunburnt with a grey moustache a ready smile and trusty eyes.
10. Your English on the whole is not bad.
