Punctuation Rules
1. Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, or, yet, so):
- Put a comma before these conjunctions.
e.g. The movie has already started, but my friend has not arrived yet.
3. Transitional Words and Phrases:
- Put a comma after these if they are at the beginning of a sentence.
e.g. I like to travel. Specifically, I enjoy places with old cathedrals.
- Use a semicolon to connect the two sentences.
e.g. I like to travel; specifically, I enjoy places with old cathedrals.
- Use a comma before and after the transitional word/phrase in the middle of a clause.
e.g. I like to travel, and, specifically, I enjoy places with old cathedrals.
2. Correlative Conjunctions (These have two parts: either . . . or):
- Put a comma before the second part if it connects 2 clauses
e.g. Eric is not only an outstanding teacher, but he is also a gourmet cook.
- You don't need a comma if it only connects words or phrases.
e.g. Eric is not only an outstanding teacher but also a gourmet cook.