This guide will introduce you to common punctuation mistakes and teach you how to fix them. Complete the quizzes throughout the guide for extra practice!
Before you dive in, there are a few pieces of terminology you should know . . .
Independent clause: An independent clause can stand on its own as a simple sentence. An independent clause has a subject (who is doing the action) and a predicate (the action being done).
Independent clause: The art thief stole the painting.
NOT an independent clause: stole the painting
NOT an independent clause: The art thief
Dependent clause: A dependent clause contains a subject and predicate but still can't stand on its own as a complete sentence, usually because of a word like until, because, or although.
Dependent clause: Although the thief stole the painting...
(Notice how your brain wants to fill in something after this clause!)
Some words that commonly signal dependent clauses: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.
Check out this short video for more on subjects + predicates:
Here's a video that explains independent + dependent clauses in more depth:
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