§ 4. To separate parenthetical words, groups of words, and clauses a comma, a dash, or brackets may be used. The comma is the most usual.

To occupy her mind, however, she took the jobs given her. (Qalsworthy)

In fact, she marked the change in his face with satisfaction. (London)

As for my mother, both her brothers were policemen. (Lindsay) She sang a foolish song of Gustave Charpentier's — a song born dead — and she sang it sentimentally. (Bennett) To the hired butler (for Roger only kept maids) she spoke about the wine. (Qalsworthy)

§ 5. To separate interjections a comma or a note of exclamation may be used.

Oh, Doreen didn't know anything about it. (Citsack) Ah! That's the way to make the money. (Cusaek)

§ 6. To separate direct address a comma is used.

Arthur, have you thought what you are saying? (Voynich) And run in to see me, my lad, when you have time any evening. (Voynich)

Note. —It should be borne in mind that a comma (or a colon) and not a note of exclamatioi is used in salutation in letters.

My dear Jon, we have been here now a for(night.(Gataio/'f/!i/)

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

To separate coordinate clauses the following rules on the use of stops are observed.

§ 7. Coordinate clauses joined asyndetically are always separated by a stop.

The most usual slop is the semicolon.

Arthur looked at his watch; it was nine o'clock. (Voynich) The policeman took no notice of them; his feet were planted apart on the strip of crimson carpet stretched across the pavement; his face, under the helmet, wore the same stolid, watching look as theirs. (Galsworthy)

A colon or a dash may be used when the second coordinate clause serves to explain the first. They serve to express the rela­tions which a conjunction would express.

Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid courses of scriptural quotations. (Twain)

Ellsworth advised a triangular piano — the square shapes were so inexpressibly wearisome to the initiated. (Dreiser)

A comma is used to separate coordinate clauses when the connection between them is very close.

A fly settled on his hair, his breathing sounded heavy in the drowsy silence, his upper lip under the white moustache puffed in and out. (Qalsworthy)

§ 8. Coordinate clauses joined by copulative conjunctions.

Clauses joined by the conjunction and may be separated by a comma (if the connection between the clauses is close) or a semi­colon (if the clauses are more independent). Occasionally a dash is used.

... a library was a most likely place for her, and he might see her there. (London)

He wondered what boat it was, and why she did not stop at the wharf — and then he dropped her out of his mind and put his attention upon his business. (Twain)

Coordinate clauses joined by the conjunctions neither, nor are generally separated by a semicolon.

Martin did not laugh; nor did he grit his teeth in anger. (London) She would not listen, therefore, to her daughter's proposal of being carried home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it necessary. (Austen)

Occasionally a comma is found.

He could not bring them back, nor could he go back to them. (London)

But you can't get at him, neither can we. (Dickens)

Clauses joined by the conjunctive adverbs moreover, besides, then are usually separated by a semicolon.

He seemed to have no desire to go; besides his clothes were not good enough. (Cronin)

It was the custom of that youth on Saturdays, to roll up his shirt sleeves to his shoulders, and pervade all parts of the house in an apron of coarse green baize; moreover, he was more strongly tempted on S'lturdays than on other days. (Dickens)