A compound sentence is a sentence that has independent parts connected to each other by coordinating conjunctions. The components have, as a rule, equal semantic and grammatical meaning. They can be separated by a comma, semicolon, or dash. Punctuation in a compound sentence is one of the most difficult punctuation topics.
Connecting unions
What punctuation marks are used in a compound sentence? It depends on the context. And in order to answer this difficult question, first of all, it is necessary to understand what kind of structure such a unit of language has. If it consists of two or more simple sentences, then it is a compound sentence. At the same time, its parts have a semantic connection with each other, andseparate their punctuation marks. In a compound sentence, in most cases these are commas. They are put in the presence of one of the connecting unions (and, yes). Examples:
- The autumn foliage burned in the sun with shades of green, red and yellow, and in this bright multicolor the deserted and dull riverbank looked so strange.
- Look around and you can see so many new and interesting things.
- Elena spoke in a whisper, and her mother also tried not to make noise.
Opposing alliances
These service parts are necessary to combine and connect homogeneous members of the proposal. They create a semantic opposition between them, emphasize the difference or inconsistency. And there are always punctuation marks before such words. In a compound sentence - in the presence of opposing conjunctions - the constituent parts are separated by a comma. Examples:
- Ivan Petrovich's whole body ached from fatigue, but it was so nice to be in an interesting company and listen to your favorite music.
- We should finally take out all this old furniture in the trash, and other things do not leave time for household chores at all.
- Colleagues treated the new history teacher with hostility, while the students loved her with all their hearts.
- Material dependence on anyone is not in her principles, but work and a separate apartment create a feeling of freedom.
- Parents will have to take action or one day he will be expelled from school for such academic performance.
In addition to such official parts of speech as but, but, yes, but not that, toconjunctions are also adversarial but, however, otherwise.
Dividing conjunctions
Punctuation marks in a compound sentence are placed before such auxiliary parts of speech as or, either, then…then, or…or, whether…or, not that…not that. In the presence of a double separating union, a comma is always placed before its second component. Examples:
- Calm down, or it will be bad.
- He paused then started talking again.
- Something must be done or he will die!
- Whether he had serious intentions or whether he was playing again was unclear.
Dividing punctuation marks between parts of a compound sentence in the presence of a double union are placed before its second component.
Affiliating unions
These include unions yes, moreover, also, too. One of them must be preceded by a comma. Examples:
- He liked her more and more, he seemed to like her too.
- The appearance of this man made a rather depressing impression, his voice was also unpleasant.
Explanatory conjunctions
As you can see from the name, these words are intended to clarify, clarify. Unions of this kind - namely, that is. They must always be preceded by a comma. Examples:
- After this terrible event, the number of residents decreased, namely, there was only a gentleman with an indifferent expression on his face and two old women who could hardly hear anything.
- Time wasthe appropriate one was chosen for the conversation, that is, it was quiet, calm and there was no need to be afraid of the arrival of uninvited guests.
When are punctuation marks not used?
There is no comma in the compound sentences, examples of which are given below. Each of them has a connecting union. But parts of the sentence are united by a minor member, and therefore a punctuation mark is not required. Examples:
- Shortly after the arrival of the train, tourists flooded the town and idly wandered its streets until late at night.
- His mother has huge, kind hazel eyes and soft flaxen hair.
- By that time, the publishing house had published several children's books and two collections of poetry.
However, if the members of the sentence are combined by a minor member, but the union is repeated, a comma is put. Examples:
- On such a frosty winter night, the wolf does not wander, and the bear does not appear from his lair.
- In sunny windless weather, you don’t feel like working, and the sandy beach attracts and distracts you from business.
The relative clause as a general part
Common can be not only a minor member. In its role sometimes the subordinate clause also acts. And, of course, in this case, a comma is also not put. Examples:
- It was already dawn and people gathered at the bus stop when hereturning home.
- When the guest was escorted home, it was completely dark outside and only moonlight illuminated the path.
- When he stepped onto the stage, his heart was beating fast and his hands were visibly trembling.
Interrogative sentence
You should know that commas are not always placed before the connecting union. In some cases, punctuation marks are not required in compound sentences. Examples:
- Who is he and why did he come without calling first?
- How did they get here and what do they need?
- At what time will the meeting take place and what exactly will be discussed at it?
- Magomed will come to the mountain or should the mountain go to Magomed?
In each of the above examples, the sentence consists of two interrogative stems. The parts are united by interrogative intonation. Therefore, punctuation marks are not required in a compound sentence of this type.
Similarly to the previous examples, punctuation marks between parts of a compound sentence are not required in the following phrases:
- Fire all employees and hire new ones only after my approval! (Incentive.)
- How funny he is and how ridiculous his antics are! (Exclamatory sentence.)
- They began to look for traces of the crime, but, as always, they did not find anything (vaguely personal sentence).
You should know that when repeating a connecting union, a comma is placed between the impersonal parts of the sentence. Example: ANDrain, and wind, and haze.
Semicolon
The punctuation marks between parts of a compound sentence are not always commas. If parts of a complex structure are common sentences and also have commas inside them, a semicolon separates them. Examples:
- He came up with all this himself, because he absolutely did not remember what he dreamed about last night; but when his mother, touched by this story, began to soothe and console him, he almost burst into tears.
- She felt unbearably sad the moment they saw each other for the last time; however, something like relief appeared in her soul.
- He spoke to her affectionately, holding her hand, and happiness shone in his eyes; and she took everything for granted, because she was used to admiring glances and had long ceased to appreciate them.
A comma with a dot is often used before conjunctions such as but, however, yes and, but. And only in rare cases - before a. Examples:
- Five years of this strange work on the construction of the building; but either the climate was unsuitable, or the material was of poor quality, but the matter did not move above the foundation.
- He studied well, although he was not particularly assiduous; he never seriously grieved about anything; however, from time to time, some wild irrepressible stubbornness came over him.
- Drunkenness and disorderliness were common among the inhabitants of this village; but many necessary qualities were rare for the local inhabitants: diligence, honesty, friendliness.
Rules for punctuation in compound sentences may allow a semicolon before conjunctions yes and and. But only in those rare cases when this sign stands between two sentences, which without it would be separated by a period. Example:
Soon the whole park, warmed by the rays of the spring sun, came to life, and the dewdrops sparkled like diamonds on the tulips; and the old, already somewhat neglected park seemed festively dressed that day
Dash
All of the above sentences are examples of the application of rules that a high school student should know. One of the topics that is given special attention in the Russian language lessons is "Punctuation marks in a compound sentence." Grade 9 is an important stage in the school curriculum, when previously acquired knowledge is generalized and consolidated. Dash in compound sentences is a deeper topic. It is worth giving at least a few examples of the use of this punctuation mark.
It is put in cases where there is a sharp opposition or addition in the second part of the sentence. Examples:
- The hunter threw something into the blazing fire - and immediately everything around lit up.
- He hurried there, ran as fast as he could - and there was not a soul there.
To properly punctuate a compound sentence, you need to determine the composition of its parts. And if there are only two of them, and each of them is a one-part nominative, between them should be putdash. Examples:
- One more moment and he will fall at her feet.
- Ten years of such an existence - and the human soul is broken.
Dividing a sentence into two semantic parts
Sometimes one long phrase contains a description of two phenomena or actions. In such cases, the sentence is divided into two semantic parts with a dash. Example:
In the mountains, if you push a small stone from a great height, it will hit another in flight, then a third, and they will entail dozens, and then hundreds - and now a terrible stone avalanche is rapidly collapsing down
But a dash can also separate simple constructions: “One has only to say a kind word and a person is saved.”
Punctuation marks in complex and complex sentences are topics that can only be mastered with the help of practical exercises. Rules are remembered faster if you use different schemes. And although spelling and punctuation are branches of the humanities, it is worth creating simple graphic images. Especially when it comes to a topic like "Punctuation marks in compound sentences."
Table (conjunctions and punctuation marks in compound sentences)
Below is a table that contains the basic rules for using commas, semicolons and dashes between parts of a complex sentence. Unions are also indicated that correspond to one or another punctuation mark.
| Punctuation marks are notpiped | Comma | Semicolon | Dash |
| Before conjunctions and, yes, if the parts of the sentence have a common element (minor member of the sentence, subordinate clause, introductory word, particle) | Between simple sentences, before conjunctions and, yes, also, also, moreover | Sentence parts shared | In the second part there is an addition or opposition |
| A sentence consists of parts, each of which is an interrogative, imperative, exclamatory or indefinitely personal sentence | Between simple sentences, before conjunctions but, however, not that, moreover | One or two parts are nominative sentences | |
| The sentence consists of parts that include synonymous words | Between simple sentences, before conjunctions or, either | The sentence breaks down into semantic parts | |
| Between simple sentences, before conjunctions namely, that is | The offer consists of short designs |
From the foregoing, we can conclude that in order to correctly punctuate, it is necessary to determine the type of sentence, highlight its grammatical foundations, and then understand what type of unions the service parts of speech that link parts of this sentence belong to.
