Copyright 1996-1999
Clause - a group of words that contains a verb and its subject and is used as a part of a - it can or cannot be a complete thought. The clause with a complete thought is called a main clause or a sentence. The clause with a subject and verb that forms an incomplete thought is called a subordinate clause.
Example: If she bakes a cake(subordinate clause), we can have a party(main clause).
Phrase - a group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb and is never a complete thought and is named for the job it does. ie: participle phrase, prepositional phrase . . .
Example: Jake rode home on the wild stallion. (this phrase has a subject - stallion - on is a preposition - this is a prepositional phrase)
Clauses also have two other classifications - restrictive and nonrestrictive. These are the culprits that cause the problems with where to place commas. In the above example of clauses, you'll notice the subordinate clause is set off with a comma. That's because it is a nonrestrictive clause. It is putting a condition on having a party - IF she bakes a cake ...
Nonrestrictive Clause - a subordinate clause used to add information and not necessarily to the main idea of the sentence.
Example: Ted Davis, who is a senior, won first prize.
In the above example, the nonrestrictive clause is who is a senior. The main idea of the sentence is Ted Davis won first place. The clause is not necessary to identify Ted Davis and can be left out without affecting the sentence meaning.
*NOTE: Most clauses that modify proper names (adjective clauses) are nonrestrictive and require commas to set them off. EXAMPLE: Mr. Jones, our biology teacher, came from England.
Not all adjective clauses are nonrestrictive. An adjective clause beginning with the word that is seldom nonrestrictive.
Example: I'd like to throw every hat that she buys into the garbage. I'd like to throw every hat into the garbage.
Freshman who play hooky should be expelled. Freshman should be expelled.
Restrictive Clause - A clause that cannot be removed from the sentence without affecting its meaning - as in the above examples. If an adjective clause answers the question which one it does not need commas.
Example: All buildings which were firetraps were torn down.
All buildings were torn down.
If you can learn to punctuate nonrestrictive clauses, you'll have no trouble punctuating participle phrases (phrases that modify the verb). The only real difference is that the nonrestrictive clause has a verb and a subject; the phrase does not.
Nonrestrictive Clause - Senator Stewart, who was hoping for a compromise, tried a filibuster.
Nonrestrictive Phrase - Senator Stewart, hoping for a compromise, tried a filibuster.
Nonrestrictive Clause - Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, which was written by Louis Carroll, has become a classic.
Nonrestrictive Phrase - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, written by Louis Carroll, has become a classic.
Like the adjective clause, the participle phrase is not nonrestrictive when it is necessary to the meaning of the sentence.
Example:
Senators hoping for a compromise tried filibustering. (not all senators, just those hoping for compromise)
A book written by Louis Carroll has become a classic. (not all books, just the one written by Carroll)
Learning to place commas correctly is a case of study, study, study the rules. Once you've mastered them, you'll develop an ear for where they go and the placement will come automatically. This cannot be mastered by hoping you'll catch on. If you have questions ask them. If you have a problem deciding on punctuation in your work, look it up in the back of a good dictionary or in a copy of Strunk and White's Elements of Grammar.