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abbreviations, but substituted forms for second, fourth, eighth, tenth, etc. No period should therefore be placed after any of them.

Note 3.-When the abbreviation is the last word of the sentence, only one period is necessary at the end of the sentence.

Note 4.-When the Roman numerals are used a period is usually placed after each; as, George III., Chaps. V., VI., and VII.

Note 5.--When letters are doubled to indicate the plural, as pp. for pages, MM. for messieurs, or LL. for legum, only one period is used to indicate the abbreviation.

Note 6.-When abbreviated words become current abridged expressions, as consol for consolidated, or cab for cabriolet, no period is used.

Note 7.-When the abbreviation represents separate words, a period follows each; as, Legum Doctor, LL.D., Post Master, P. M.

RULE 3. Complete Expressions.-A period should be placed after each of the following: HEADINGS, TITLES, SIGNATURES, IMPRINTS, ADVERTISEMENTS, etc., when the expression is complete in itself.

Ex.-Punctuation. Webster's Dictionary. Henry Hudson. Raub & Co., Philadelphia. Wanted, an active salesman. Les

son 16.

Note. The title-page of a book usually consists of three parts: 1. The title of the book; 2. The name of the author, with his honorary titles appended; 3. The name of the publisher, with the place of publication. Each of these parts is followed by a period.

Ex.-A History of Education. By F. V. N. Painter, A. M., Professor of Modern Languages and Literature in Roanoke College. New York: D. Appleton & Co.

EXERCISES.

Note. In the following exercises the student should not only insert the proper punctuation mark in each case, but he should also be able to give a reason for his work.

Punctuate the following where necessary :
1. No man can lose what he never had
2. Help thyself, and God will help thee

3. Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well

4.

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,

And waste its sweetness on the desert air

5. He that wrestles with us strengthens our sharpens our skill Our antagonist is our helper. 6. Baltimore, Md, Nov 8, 1886

nerves and

7. The President of the College is Rev Timothy Dwight, D D, LL D

8. State Supt Richard Edwards, LL D, will lecture before the Association

9. Ben Jonson was one of England's first dramatic writers 10. The examination was held Oct 2d, at 2 P M

11. We read chapters VI, VIII, and XIV with much interest

12. Farm Ballads By Will Carleton

13. Messrs Johnson, Holloway & Co, 1286 Market St, Phila 14. Part I, Chapter I, Punctuation

15. See ll 16, 17, 19, p 24

16. MM Thiers and Grèvy have both been prominent

17. A cab was ordered to call at 11 PM

18. Elements of Psychology By James Sully, M A Go forth under the open sky, and list

19.

To Nature's teachings-Bryant

20. 'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore,

And coming events cast their shadows before-Campbell

THE COMMA (,).

The Comma is used to mark the least degree of separation in the divisions of a sentence. The word "comma," like the words "semicolon " and "colon," was used originally to denote the portion of the sentence cut off, rather than the mark.

The following are the chief rules for the use of the

comma:

RULE 1. Compound Sentences.-A comma is used to sep

Ex. “There was an abundance of game, but we could not find it."

RULE 2. Relative Clauses.-Relative clauses that are explanatory or which present an additional thought are set off by commas, but when such clauses are restrictive in sense they are not so separated.

Remark. A restrictive clause limits its antecedent to some particular meaning, while a non-restrictive clause is equivalent to an additional thought. Thus, in the sentence "The pupil who is studious will improve," the clause in italics is restrictive, the sentence being equivalent to "The studious pupil will improve."

In the sentence "John, who is studious, will improve," the clause in italics is non-restrictive, the sentence being equivalent to “John will improve," and the additional thought, "John is studious."

In the first example the restrictive clause limits the meaning not only to "pupil," but to a particular pupil, "The pupil who is studious;" while in the second sentence the sense is not affected by the clause "who is studious." This clause simply adds the thought that "John is studious."

Note 1.-If several words intervene between the relative and its grammatical antecedent, a comma should be placed before the relative clause, even when used restrictively, as in the following: 'He lives most wisely, who employs his time most usefully."

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Note 2.-A comma should be placed before the relative clause, even when the latter is restrictive, if the relative is followed by a word or a phrase enclosed by commas; as,

"They who, notwithstanding their higher position in society, kindly welcomed us, should receive our gratitude."

Note 3.-When the relative has for its antecedent several nouns or clauses in succession, it should be separated from the last by a comma, even though the relative clause be restrictive; as,—

"There were present laborers, mechanics, and merchants, who doubted the arguments he offered."

If the comma were omitted after "merchants," the meaning of the sentence might be taken to be that it was only the merchants that doubted.

Punctuate the following correctly:

1. Be kind to all you will have no cause to regret it

2. Life is short and art is long

3. Tell me with whom you associate and I will tell you what you are

4. Patience is a bitter seed but it yields rich fruit .

5. The cannon ceased to boom and we knew that the procession had passed

6.

The ploughman homeward plods his weary way

And leaves the world to darkness and to me

7. They who are set to rule over others must be just 8. There mountains rise and circling oceans flow

9. Read thy fate in the flowers which bloom and die

10. Congress which was in session since last December has adjourned

11. Riches that are ill gotten are seldom enjoyed

12. It is selfishness and vanity that make a woman a coquette 13. How beautiful are yonder flowers that grow by the wayside! 14. My brother who stayed with me yesterday has returned to the city.

15. He that would succeed must win success

RULE 3. Dependent Clauses.-Dependent clauses are usually set off by commas.

Ex.—“ If you desire success, you must win it.”

Note.-A dependent clause requires another to complete its meaning. It is usually introduced by some subordinate conjunction or a conjunctive adverb, as if, though, when, etc., and often precedes the clause on which it depends.

When the dependent clause follows that on which it depends, it is in many cases not set off by a comma; as, “We will come if you wish us to do so."

When the dependent clause follows the main clause, and is introduced by "that," it is not set off by a comma unless "that" is equivalent to "in order that," and is placed at some distance from the verb; as,

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Punctuate the following where necessary :

1. If you would appear noble be noble

2. When pain cannot bless Heaven quits us in despair

3. If at first you don't succeed try try again

4. If we work upon marble it will perish; if we work upon brass time will efface it; if we rear temples they will crumble into dust.-Webster

5. If you would be pungent be brief-Southey

6. Though deep yet clear

7. If we go to Nature for our morals we shall learn the necessity of perfection in the smallest act

8. Unless public opinion supports the law it is of no avail Oh, if this be a dream

9.

10.

Let me sleep on, and do not wake me yet!
If I had thought thou couldst have died

I might not weep for thee;

But I forgot when by thy side

That thou couldst mortal be

RULE 4. Parenthetical Expressions.-Parenthetical words and phrases should be set off by commas.

Remark. Expressions are parenthetical when they are placed between the related parts of a sentence, but are not strictly essential to its meaning.

The following are among the expressions most commonly used as parenthetical:

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