Students understanding the complexity of language
 

Chapter 08-05: Punctuation – Analyzing Examples

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chapter 8: analyzing examples

The English language is messy, and many times analyzing for  grammatical elements is not always as obvious as the simple examples that we use on the content pages. So to assist your ability to analyze  all the different texts you may encounter as you read, we want to offer a  few more sample analyses of more difficult texts.
 
For these more complicated examples, we review some or all  of the key  features discussed in Chapter 8. Please review these  examples closely, trying  to understand the choices made for the analysis. As always, if you have any questions, please ask your instructor  or start a conversation in your work group.

 

Analyzing for Punctuation – Example #1
Adapted from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery:
 
When Marilla had gone, Anne looked around her wistfully. The whitewashed walls were so painfully bare and staring that she thought they must ache over their own bareness. The floor was bare, too, except for a round braided mat in the middle such as Anne had never seen before. In one corner was the bed, a high, old-fashioned one, with four dark, low-turned posts. In the other corner was the aforesaid three-corner table adorned with a fat, red velvet pin-cushion hard enough to turn the point of the most adventurous pin. Above it hung a little six-by-eight mirror. Midway between table and bed was the window, with an icy white muslin frill over it, and opposite it was the wash-stand. The whole apartment was of a rigidity not to be described in words, but which sent a shiver to the very marrow of Anne’s bones. With a sob she hastily discarded her garments, put on the skimpy nightgown and sprang into bed where she burrowed face downward into the pillow and pulled the clothes over her head. When Marilla came up for the light various skimpy articles of raiment scattered most untidily over the floor and a certain tempestuous appearance of the bed were the only indications of any presence save her own.

For this example, we’ll identify each punctuation mark using the 9 Basic Rules of Punctuation. First, separate the passage into sentences, then identify the punctuation marks in each sentence. Remember to pay attention to context, to function slots, and to who the words are “hanging out with”:
 
  1. When Marilla had gone, Anne looked around her wistfully.
  2. The whitewashed walls were so painfully bare and staring that she thought they must ache over their own bareness.
  3. The floor was bare, too, except for a round braided mat in the middle such as Anne had never seen before.
  4. In one corner was the bed, a high, old-fashioned one, with four dark, low-turned posts.
  5. In the other corner was the aforesaid three-corner table adorned with a fat, red velvet pin-cushion hard enough to turn the point of the most adventurous pin.
  6. Above it hung a little six-by-eight mirror.
  7. Midway between table and bed was the window, with an icy white muslin frill over it, and opposite it was the wash-stand.
  8. The whole apartment was of a rigidity not to be described in words, but which sent a shiver to the very marrow of Anne’s bones.
  9. With a sob, she hastily discarded her garments, put on the skimpy nightgown, and sprang into bed where she burrowed face downward into the pillow and pulled the clothes over her head.
  10. When Marilla came up for the light various skimpy articles of raiment scattered most untidily over the floor and a certain tempestuous appearance of the bed were the only indications of any presence save her own.
Punctuation Marks
  1. Comma #1 – Rule 5 (dependent clause)
  2. Period #1 – Rule 1
  3. Period #2 – Rule 1
  4. Comma #2 and Comma #3 – Rule 7
  5. Period #3 – Rule 1
  6. Comma #4 – Rule 7
    Note that this comma is paired with the comma following ONE
  7. Comma #5 – Rule 9
  8. Comma #6 – Rule 7
  9. Comma #7 – Rule 9
  10. Period #4 – Rule 1
  11. Comma #8 – Rule 9
  12. Period #5 – Rule 1
  13. Period #6 – Rule 1
  14. Comma #9 and Comma #10 – Rule 7
    Note that Comma #10 might also be identified as Rule #4 since it precedes a coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses
  15. Period #7 – Rule 1
  16. Comma #11 – Rule 4
  17. Period #8 – Rule 1
  18. Comma #12 – Rule 6
  19. Comma #13 and Comma #14 – Rule 9
  20. Period #9 – Rule 1
  21. Period #10 – Rule 1

Analyzing for Punctuation – Example #2
Adapted from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad:
 
Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth. We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories. And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes, “followed the sea” with reverence and affection, than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames. The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing service, crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea. It had known and served all the men of whom the nation is proud, from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin, knights all, titled and untitled—the great knights-errant of the sea. It had borne all the ships whose names are like jewels flashing in the night of time, from the Golden Hind returning with her rotund flanks full of treasure, to be visited by the Queen’s Highness and thus pass out of the gigantic tale, to the Erebus and Terror, bound on other conquests—and that never returned. It had known the ships and the men.

For this example, we’ll identify each punctuation mark using the 9 Basic Rules of Punctuation. Remember to pay attention to context, to function slots, and to who the words are “hanging out with”:
 
  1. Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound.
  2. The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth.
  3. We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories.
  4. And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes, “followed the sea” with reverence and affection, than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames.
  5. The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing service, crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea.
  6. It had known and served all the men of whom the nation is proud, from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin, knights all, titled and untitled—the great knights-errant of the sea.
Punctuation Marks
  1. Comma #1 – Rule 4
  2. Period #1 – Rule 1
  3. Comma #2 and Comma #3 – Rule 7
    Note that these could both be identified as Rule 6, as well
  4. Period #2 – Rule 1
  5. Comma #4 – Rule 6
    Note that BUT is coordinating phrases, not clauses, so this is Rule 6
  6. Period #3 – Rule 1
  7. Comma #5 and Comma #6 – Rule 7
  8. Comma #6 – Rule 6
  9. Period #4 – Rule 1
  10. Comma #7 – Rule 6
  11. Period #5 – Rule 1
  12. Comma #8 – Rule 6
  13. Comma #9 and Comma #10 – Rule 7
  14. Dash #1 – Rule 8
    This dash is being used like a colon for a restatement, so should be identified as Rule 8
  15. Period #6 – Rule 1

 

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