Transcription of Comma Tip 7
1 1 Comma TIP 7 Before you add a Comma , know the difference between so and so that . SO CO O R D I N A T I NG CO N J U N C T I O N So, a coordinating conjunction, can join two main clauses. The pattern looks like this: MA I N CL A U S E + , + so + MA I N CL A U S E . K a t h e r i n e r e c e n t l y a d o p t e d a G r e a t D a n e p u p p y, so s h e s p e n d s c o n s i d e r a b l e t i m e w i p i n g u p p u d d l e s o f d o g u r i n e w i t h a s p o n g e . M i k e a g r e e d t o h e l p H e l e n m o v e t o h e r n e w a p a r t m e n t, so h e s p e n t S a t u r d a y l i f t i n g h e a v y f u r n i t u r e a n d s t r u g g l i n g w i t h u n w i e l d y b o x es.
2 J o h n n y d r i v e s a r u s t y s e d a n w i t h n o a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g, so h e m u s t u s e t h e s t r o n g e s t a n t i p e r s p i r a n t o n t h e m a r k e t . SO THAT SU B O R D I N A T E CO N J U N C T I O N So that, on the other hand, is a subordinate conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause. The pattern looks like this: MA I N CL A U S E + + so that + SU B O R D I N A T E CL A U S E . T h e n e w p u p p y w h i n e s p a t h e t i c a l l y s o t h a t K a t h e r i n e w i l l l e t i t s l e e p o n t h e b e d . M i k e s o a k e d i n a h o t b a t h s o t h a t h i s s t i f f b a c k w o u l d r e l a x . D u r i n g t h e s u m m e r , J o h n n y d r i v e s w i t h a b i g c u p o f i c e s o t h a t h e doesn t overheat and pass out in the hot car.
3 2 Grammar Bytes! | | 2021 THE RE A S O N F O R T H E CO N F U S I O N So that can confuse writers because the that is optional. When the that is missing, don t mistake so that for so, thus adding incorrect punctuation. A n g i e p e e l e d a w a y t h e c r i s p y c h i c k e n s k i n so (o r s o t h a t) s h e c o u l d l a t e r e a t a b r o w n i e w i t h o u t c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e c a l o r i e s . B e f o r e b e g i n n i n g h i s d a y d r e a m , F r a n k o p e n e d h i s l i t e r a t u r e b o o k so (o r s o t h a t) h e a p p e a r e d t o b e p a y i n g a t t e n t i o n t o t h e d i s c u s s i o n . U n c o n c e r n e d a b o u t s m a l l c h i l d r e n o r k i t t e n s , C a r l o t t a r e c k l e s s l y s p e d t h r o u g h t h e r e s i d e n t i a l n e i g h b o r h o o d so (o r s o t h a t) s h e w o u l d b e h o m e i n t i m e t o w a t c h a r e r u n o f B u f f y t h e V a m p i r e S l a y e r, h e r f a v o r i t e T V s h o w.
4 QUICK TEST Directions: Add commas where necessary. 1. Robbie bought a small microwave for his first apartment so he could cook popcorn and macaroni and cheese, the only meals he could afford. 2. Sylvia wore flat shoes on her date with Tony so she wouldn t intimidate this short young man with her height. 3. Yuko bought a small aquarium and some goldfish so her apartment wouldn t feel so lonely. 4. Patrick always carries an English handbook with him, even to basketball games so that he can check other people s grammar wherever he goes. 5. Rachel neglected to make her car payment three months in a row so she must hide her car in friends garages in an attempt to foil the repo man.
