4.10. Marks of Parenthesis

(1) A real parenthesis, that is, a phrase or a clause independent of the general construction of the sentence, is usually indicated by being enclosed within brackets ( ).

The whole mass of material wealth produced in society over a specific period (for example, a year) constitutes the gross social product.

(2) Very often to indicate a parenthesis you may use dashes.

Even nature itself - woods, meadows, the Earth's atmosphere - is transformed under the impact of social practice.

(3) Another use of the dash is to indicate that what follows it is of special significance, or is not natural or expected outcome of what goes before.

For my birthday I got a sweater, a chocolate and - a camera.

Removing envelope after envelope with ever increasing eagerness he finally disclosed - his own letter.

(4) In an informal style (especially personal letters), many people use dashes instead of colons or semi-colons.

There are three things I can never remember - names, faces, and I've forgotten the other.

We had a great time in the Caucasus - the kids really enjoyed it.

4.11. A series of periods

A series of periods (...) is used to indicate the author's intentional omission of a word or some words within a sentence. This punctuation is also used to express a character's hesitation in expressing this or that idea.

She was like a person so dazed by the horror of what has happened that he walks away – anywhere, as though by walking away he could escape... (K. Mansfield)

N o t e: When the omission comes at the end of a sentence, four periods are used.

She hardly dared to look into the cold mirror – but she did look, and it gave her back a woman, radiant, with smiling, trembling lips, with big, dark eyes and an air of listening, waiting for something ... divine to happen ... that she knew must happen ... infallibly. (K. Mansfield)

4.12. Punctuating within the Compound Sentences

Here are some rules which should be observed in writing:

(1) Use a comma to separate coordinate clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so, etc.)

He didn't like being away from his wife and the kids, and he was sore and grouchy most of the time. (E. Hemingway)

Then Joe and Huck had another swim, but Tom would not venture .... (M. Twain)

All the village flocked to the courthouse the next morning, for this was to be the great day. (M. Twain)

E x c e p t i o n s:

(a) In compound sentences, when one or both main clauses are very short, you may omit the comma.

He went in and the conductor swung up and the train went out. (E. Hemingway)

We came around to the front of the house and there standing in the doorway was Hogan. (E. Hemingway)

(b) You may use a semicolon to separate coordinate clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, especially when you have already used commas within the clauses themselves.

Tom found himself writing "Becky" in the sand with his big toe; but he scratched it out, and was angry with himself for his weakness. (M. Twain)

He liked me and we got along fine together; and he liked Hogan, but after a while Soldier Bartlett commenced to get on his nerves. (E. Hemingway)

(c) You may use a semicolon in place of a comma to separate long coordinated clauses or to indicate a stronger pause between clauses.

We haven't all had the good fortune to be ladies; we haven't all been generals, or poets, or statesmen; but when the toast works down to the babies, we stand on common ground. (M. Twain)

The tune lifted, lifted, the light shone; and it seemed to Miss Brill that in another moment all of them, all the whole company, would begin singing. (K. Mansfield)

(2) Use a semicolon to separate coordinated clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Our Else was looking at her with big, imploring eyes; she was frowning; she wanted

to go. (K. Mansfield)

Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them. (0. Wilde)

To educate a man is to educate an individual; to educate a woman is to educate a family.

(3) Use a semicolon to separate coordinate clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb. (however, moreover, consequently, indeed, then).

Nobody had ever seen her smile; moreover, she scarcely ever spoke.

As a matter of fact he was proud of his room; indeed, he liked to have it admired, especially by his old friends.

Soon after that people began coming in streams; then the band struck up; the hired waiters ran from the house to the marquee.

N o t e that when the conjunctive adverb comes within the second clause instead of at the beginning, the coordinate clauses still must be separated by a semicolon, and the conjunctive adverb set off by commas.

We spend millions of rubles for road-building; our roads, however, are rapidly deteriorating.

(4) Use a colon to separate two coordinate clauses, the second of which amplifies or explains the first.

A gentleman of our day is one who has money enough to do what every fool would do if he could afford it: that is, consume without producing. (G.B. Shaw)

The old head lifted: two points of light quivered in the old eyes. (K. Mansfield)

N o t e: Some writers prefer to use a dash instead of a colon in this case.

That was a dreadful place - her first place. (K. Mansfield)

She described where she'd been - everywhere, here, there, along by the sea. (K. Mans­field)