PUNCTUATION.

Punctuation is frequently included in Prosody; but many Grammarians have of late classified it under Syntax, and we shall do so too, as it seems obviously to belong to sentence-making.

PUNCTUATION.

Syntax means joined together, dear,
Arrange the words then written here
By marking out each stop.
They're parts of punctuation-see
You'll understand them readily,
They must not be forgot.

They make a sentence read with ease,
They help the sense, too, as one sees,
Indeed they useful are ;

Then punctuation you must know
Before we any further go;

Look at this little star *.

The principal marks, stops, or points are:- 1st, Comma -2d, Semicolon; -3d, Colon: -4th, Besides Interrogation ? Parenthesis () Caret Quotation "" Asterisk*

Period.
Dash

Bracket []

* This little star means-look below,

Admiration ! A Hyphen

Accent '.

There's something more which you must know
Before you any further go.

THE PERIOD.

A period's the longest stop,
Altho' it is a little dot

Placed at the very end.

It means the sentence is complete.

Thus-Summers's near. Spring-time is sweet.
This flower to you I send.

Some sentences are short, others are long; but whether long or short, they require a period or full stop at the end.

EXAMPLES OF THE PERIOD.

Jane is careful. The bell rings. John and Jemima are twins. Russia and Turkey are fighting at present.

Peace is preferable to war.

THE COMMA.

The comma is the shortest stop,
Look at this little curly dot,
'Tis used most frequently.

Thus Jane, Jemima, linnet, lark,
Are all divided by that mark,
And sun, moon, stars, earth, sky.

M. Now, what is that put after sky?
Ch. That is a period. M. And why?
Ch. Because 'tis at the last.

M. And what are all these in between ?
Ch. Why these are commas it would seem,
Sun, moon. M. Stop, not so fast.

EXPLANATION OF THE COMMA AND PERIOD.

When two words are coupled with a Conjunction they do not require a Comma.

Jane is careful. M. Why do we put a period at careful? Ch. Because the sentence is complete. Jane is careful and industrious. Is this correct? Ch. Yes. Jane is conscientious, careful and industrious. M. You observe a comma at conscientious, why is there none at careful? Ch. Because it is joined to industrious by a conjunction, and in that case it does not require a

comma.

Several words of the same kind when clasped together are divided by commas, thus-Meek, modest, gentle and unassuming Jane won the love of all her companions. The child who is amiable, patient, persevering and painstaking, will make more progress in the end than the one who is clever, volatile, flippant, and foolish.

When several nouns are used as subjects of the same verb, they are divided by commas, thus Milton, Cowper, Thomson, Byron, are poets of high standing. Indigo, rice, sugar, cotton and silk, form the chief imports here from India. We export knives, forks, scissors, nails, &c., &c.

Words when paired may be divided by commas, as, Rich and poor, young and old, great and small, crumble into dust at last. Sleeping or waking, through weal or woe, in joy or sorrow, you are ever in my thoughts. Whether happiness or misery, prosperity or adversity,

health or sickness, betide me, may I learn that "all things work together for good to them that fear God!"

When adverbial phrases are introduced in a sentence, such as:―at all events, very frequently, as soon as possible, when quite convenient, &c., a comma is used. Thus-We have been told, very frequently, that when time is once lost it can never be recovered, and yet how much of it is wasted on trifles! People who talk too much of religion seldom act up to their profession; at all events, we often observe that the most sincere Christians are they who say least.

Insert COMMAS and PERIODS in the following sentences:

A

Mamma Papa Jane and Lucy have sailed for Australia The weather is stormy wet and disagreeable The air is balmy pleasant and refreshing All Fanny's friends love her frank kind generous disposition slight cough tightness in the chest and nightly perspiration forebode that much mischief is going on in poor James's constitution.

THE SEMICOLON..

The Semicolon consists of a Period and Comma put together thus ;.

The semicolon means these two
Combined in one, as here I do ;
But since there's something more,
We'll use a semicolon neat,
Altho' the sense was quite complete
At do. (Now look before.)

It is frequently used to divide a long sentence into two parts; and when the first part is complete in sense without the rest, the first part is divided from the remainder by a semicolon. When the latter part of a sentence is not dependent on the first for its meaning, and when the first part is complete in itself without the rest, then it is evident that the whole sentence might have been two separate sentences; but the latter part having been added for further explanation or continuation of the former, a semicolon is used, as in this sentence -Jane is careful, conscientious, and exemplary; but the stiffness of her manner detracts very much from the beauty of her personal appearance.

M. Why do we put a semicolon at exemplary? Ch. Because the former part of the sentence is a complete sentence without the rest. Tom likes apples, oranges, and many other good things; but he refrains from eating all sorts of luxuries, as Dr. Buchanan expressly forbids him to taste anything except farinaceous food.

Insert Semicolons, Commas, and Periods in the following sentences :

Papa says the church bells will ring for a quarter of an hour but it will be as well for us to leave immediately as Mr. Caird is expected to preach and the church will be crowded Birds sing so melodiously that I could spend hours in the woods listening to such music however time is precious and I must occupy it more advantageously The blackbird's notes are wild and clear