Great and mighty is the Russian language. In what other language can the same word express different meanings, depending on the setting of the comma? And in Russian, such phenomena are very common. Take, for example, the word "means" - the comma separating it lets us know that it is introductory.
“So” is an introductory word
Words that express the speaker's attitude to what he says are separated by commas. They are called introductory because they are not directly related to what the sentence is about. Such words express the author's confidence, uncertainty in the reliability of the information presented, its source, the order of the author's thoughts, his appeal to the interlocutor.
The word "means" helps the speaker to logically build their thoughts. It can also be replaced by synonyms "therefore", "thus", "so". Checking commas in this case is very simple: if the word can be skipped, and the meaning of the sentence does not change, then commas are put.
Examples of using the introductory word "means" at the beginning of a sentence
Let's give sentences in which a comma is placed after "means", in them this word or its synonyms should be in the verystart:
- So you're not going to school today?
- So the lessons are canceled today?
- So you didn't get homework?
- So I am completely free today.
- So take your jacket and go home.
- Therefore, you will have time to get to the stadium.
- So soon you will be free.
- So let's wait.
- Hence needs to be redone.
- So, pull yourself together, think.
As you can see from these examples, the meaning of the sentences is not entirely clear. This is because the introductory word "means" expresses the relationship of the effect. That is, it needs context. Consider these examples.
Introductory word "means" in the middle of a sentence
In these cases, please note that the comma before "means" and its synonyms is also placed, that is, this word is highlighted on both sides:
- Classes are canceled today, so you won't be going to school today?
- The school is quarantined from today, so lessons are cancelled.
- There were no classes today, so you didn't get homework.
- We didn't get homework, so I'm absolutely free today.
- If you have already finished work, then take your jacket and go home.
- You were released earlier, so you will have time to get to the stadium.
- Today is a shortened day, so you will be free soon.
- Mom won't be back soon, so we'll wait.
- You have a lot of mistakes in your work, therefore, you need to redo it.
- You completed the task withmistakes, so get together, think.
Comma checking
Recall that the placement of commas in introductory words is checked by skipping them:
- Classes canceled today, are you going to school today?
- A sample exam is being held at the school, lessons have been canceled today?
- There were no classes today, you were not assigned homework.
- We didn't get homework, I'm absolutely free today.
- If you have already finished work, take your jacket and go home.
- You were released earlier, you will have time to get to the stadium.
- Today is a shortened day, soon you will be free.
- Mom won't be back soon, we'll be waiting.
- You have a lot of mistakes in your work, you need to redo it.
- You completed the task with mistakes, pull yourself together, think.
As you can see, it is quite possible to remove this introductory word from a sentence without compromising the meaning. The punctuation mark is still present; in these cases, it separates simple sentences as part of complex ones. The comma has nothing to do with the word "means".
Not introductory
The word "means" is separated by commas or not. Consider the conditions under which no punctuation marks are required. Firstly, it must be a predicate, and then it will be impossible to remove it without prejudice to the meaning of the statement, and secondly, you can put a question to it from the subject, from it a question is raised to dependent words.
For example:
- Family (what does it do?) means (for whom?) foreverything.
- It doesn't mean anything (does it?)
- Something yes (what does?) mean.
- His word is a lot (what does?) mean.
In all these sentences, the word "means" does not contain a comma.
Working with text
Let's say we need to write out the numbers of sentences in which the introductory word "means" is separated by a comma:
1) Grandmother loves music very much, but her career as a pianist somehow did not work out. 2) And she strives with all her might to make a musician out of Alyosha. 3) And the dream of seeing her grandson as a famous artist means a lot to her. 4) She finds that Alexei even looks like a young Paganini.
5) No one in the family personally knows this famous violinist, but dad dares to say that he had black eyes and a thin, pale face framed by jet hair. 6) Alyosha is chubby, blush, blue-eyed and fair-haired. 7) So, there is no complete coincidence of external signs. 8) But the grandmother stubbornly insists that the resemblance lies in the depths of the eyes, and they shine with the same inspiration in her grandson as in the famous Italian. 9) Only she sees it. 10) All the rest find that in the eyes of the boy there is complete calmness, which sometimes only slightly mixes with slyness.
11) The grandson's musical career is still not set, and in order to somehow get things off the ground, the grandmother decides on a trick. 12) One day she answers questions from a riddle concert and sends a letter to the editor on behalf of her grandson. 13) And a few days later the announcer in a surprised voiceannounces over the radio that a second-grade student has correctly answered eleven out of thirteen questions, which means that he takes second place in the music quiz. 14) In addition, she notices that the child's answers are not childishly detailed and smart, which indicates that music is taught at the highest level in his school.
15) But in fact, music was not taught at Alyosha's school at all: they could not find an intelligent teacher. 16) But after the victory of Alyosha in a music competition, I had to immediately find it. 17) After all, others began to beg to exchange experiences. 18) “If you have such successful students, it means that you have excellent music teachers,” the heads of the city’s educational institutions told the director of the Alyosha school, “don’t be greedy, share.”
19) Alyosha's grandmother rejoiced: it means that her idea did benefit, even if not her grandson, but at least someone becomes a great musician with her direct participation.
The correct answer would be this: when the introductory word "means" a comma is placed in sentences 7, 18, 19.
