3. Create and punctuate Interrupters

3. Create and punctuate interrupters:

Enclose non-essential interrupters, asides and appositives between commas.

Do not enclose restrictive clauses and essential interrupters between commas.

An non-essential interrupter, well, interrupts the flow of the sentence and can be omitted without damaging the grammatical structure of the sentence.

Never omit one comma and leave the other.

Appositive phrase: a phrase that defines a noun.

Ex: Roger Federer, an amazing tennis player, will perform well and win.

Nonrestrictive clause: a clause that need not be in the sentence and the sentence would convey its intended meaning. .

Ex: Roger Federer, who also plays an amazing game of golf, will perform well and win tomorrow’s tennis match.

Nonessential participial phrase: a verb phrase (past or present) that can be omitted without damaging the grammatical structure of the sentence.

Ex: Roger Federer, playing in his tenth Wimbledon Championship, has a devastating inside-out forehand.

Ex2: Roger Federer, plagued by recent criticism, will be the number one seed in the tournament.

Restrictive clauses are not set off by commas for they cannot be eliminated from the sentence and still have the sentence convey its intended meaning.

Ex: The athlete who performs best will win.

Incorrect: The presidential candidate, who has the best message about

change, will become president.

Correct: The presidential candidate who has the best message about

change will become president.

Principle: Appositive phrases can occur after a noun at the end of sentences and can be offset by a dash or comma.

Incorrect: I have learned so much from Drennan a man who not only teaches the curriculum but how to be a good person.

Correct: I have learned so much from Drennan, a man who not only teaches the curriculum but how to be a good person.