文档介绍：Punctuation(ma, semicolon
ma tells the reader to pause, just as the blinking yellow light tells a driver to slow down and proceed with caution. Some writers can tell where ma is needed by reading their prose aloud and inserting ma where there seems to be a clear pause in the sentence.
1. Introductory Bits (Small-Medium-Large)
Setting off introductory words, phrases, or clauses with ma lets the reader know that the main subject and main verb of the e later. There are basically three kinds of introductory bits: small, medium, and large ones.
There are small (just one word) introductory bits:
Generally, extraterrestrials are friendly and helpful.
Moreover, some will knit booties for you if you ask nicely.
There are medium introductory bits (often these are two- to three-word prepositional phrases):
In fact, Godzilla is just a misunderstood teen lizard of giant proportions.
On the other hand, Bert and Ernie are known to have worked closely with Flipper.
There are large introductory bits(more than 3 words). You can often spot these by looking for key words/groups such as although, if, as, in order to, and when:
If you discover that you feel nauseated, then you know you’ve tried my Clam Surprise.
As far as I am concerned, it is the best dish for dispatching unwanted guests.
2. FANBOYS
FANBOYS is a handy mnemonic device for remembering the coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. You should always have ma before FANBOYS that join plete
If you do not have two subjects and two verbs separated by the FANBOYS, you do not need to insert ma before the FANBOYS. In other words, if the second grouping of words isn’t plete thought, don’t use ma:
3. The ma Splice
If you don’t have FANBOYS between the plete and separate thoughts, using ma alone causes a "comma splice" or "fused sentence" (some instructors may call it a run-on). Some readers (especially professors) will think of this as a serious error.
BAD: My hamster loved to play, I gave him a hula-hoo