Transcript Strategies for Engineering Communication

Punctuation
 Tells readers how words are grouped together and how
they are separated
 Primarily determined by sentence structure (not by
breathing)
 Choices governed by rhetorical situation and stylistic
effect
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Clauses
 Group of words with subject and main verb
 Two types of sentence-level clauses
• Main (independent) clause
• Subordinate (dependent) clause
 At least one main clause in every complete sentence
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Main Clause
 Begins with a subject
 May be joined together with a coordinating conjunction
• and, or, for, nor, yet, but, so
Tomorrow, the team meets at noon.
I know that the team meets at noon.
The team will meet at noon, but I am busy until 12:30.
The team meets at noon because that’s when
everyone can come.
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Subordinate Clauses
 Begins with a subordinate conjunction
• because, although, if, as, when, etc.
or relative pronoun
• that, which, who, etc.
The team will meet at noon because the room is
unavailable in the morning.
The meeting is scheduled so that the team can use
the conference room.
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Punctuating Clauses
When two main clauses are joined place a comma before the
by a coordinating conjunction
conjunction.
(and, or, but, nor, for, yet, so),
The team met, but I wasn’t there.
For closely-related main clauses
not connected by conjunctions,
join with semi-colons.
They came late; we left early.
When a subordinate clause follows no punctuation is needed.
a main clause,
I know because I was there.
When a subordinate clause comes Place a comma before the main
before a main clause,
clause.
Although I was away, the team met
as scheduled
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Conjunctive Adverbs
 Often confused with subordinating conjunctions
 Can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a clause
However, the design isn’t finished yet.
The design, however, isn’t finished yet.
The design isn’t finished yet, however.
 Common conjunctive adverbs include however,
therefore, thus, hence, nevertheless, consequently
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Punctuating Conjunctive Adverbs
If a conjunctive adverb begins a
sentence,
place a comma after it.
Therefore, this problem deserves
attention.
If a conjunctive adverb comes in
the middle of a clause,
place commas on either side of it.
This problem, consequently,
deserves further study.
If a conjunctive adverb ends a
clause,
place a comma before it.
This problem deserves further
study, however.
If a conjunctive adverb comes
between two main clauses or
complete sentences,
place a semi-colon or period
before it and a comma after it.
We were tired; therefore, we made
mistakes.
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Phrases
 A phrase is a group of words belonging together but
lacking verb, subject, or both.
 Phrases usually named for first grammatical element.
• Prepositional phrases: in the software, on the
desktop, of the designer, with the customer
• Verbal phrases: to run the program, going at top
speed, conceived by the designer
• Adverbial phrases: before distribution, after
development, during the design phase
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Punctuating Phrases
When a phrase precedes the
subject of a main clause,
place a comma after the phrase.
In the morning, I work in the office,
but in the afternoon, I visit the site.
When a phase follows the subject , punctuation is not usually needed.
verb, or a complete clause
I work in the office in the morning.
When a present participle (V-ing)
phrase comes after a complete
clause,
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a comma usually precedes it.
He left early, forgetting his 5
o’clock appointment.
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Relative Clauses
 Begin with relative pronouns such as who, whom, which,
that
 Modify nouns
 Are embedded in another clause
 Are either restrictive or nonrestrictive
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Types of Relative Clauses
Restrictive relative clauses
 Provide essential information about the subject or define the subject
Team leaders who lack patience intimidate new members.
(Not all team leaders lack patience.)
Nonrestrictive relative clauses
 Provide additional information about the subject not essential to the
meaning or needed to define or identify the subject
The replacement part, which was promised for two weeks, was
finally shipped yesterday.
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Punctuating Relative Clauses
Because restrictive clauses are
required for meaning,
use no punctuation.
Employees who wear t-shirts to
work make a poor impression on
foreign visitors.
Because nonrestrictive clauses
provide information that could be
omitted,
place them within a pair of
commas.
My preferred solution, which was
discussed yesterday, has been
chosen by the team.
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“that” or “,which”?
 Use that with a restrictive clause
The process that I like best is too expensive.
 Use a comma and which with a nonrestrictive clause
The problem, which should have been solved long
ago, is finally resolved.
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A Word of Caution
How you punctuate relative clauses can radically
change the meaning of a sentence.
Environmentalists, who have no respect for industry,
annoy her.
Environmentalists who have no respect for industry
annoy her.
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Punctuating Lists
If a complete sentence prepares
for a list,
place a colon before the list and
commas between the items.
We have chosen three locations:
London, Rome, and New York.
If the items in the list are long or
already contain commas,
use semi-colons instead of
commas.
If the list is part of the main
sentence,
omit the comma.
The primary locations are London,
Rome, and New York.
When you reach the conjunction
place a comma before it.
(and) that signals the last item in a Montana, Maine, and Ohio require
list,
new equipment: work stations,
laptops, and printers and a server.
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Explanations Following Sentences
 When a complete sentence implies a question, place a
colon before the answer.
 What follows the colon can be a single word, a phrase, a
sentence, or a paragraph.
We have only one thing left to do: celebrate!
Their performance was exceptional: despite supply
problems and unseasonably wet weather, they
completed the project on time and under budget.
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Inserted Information
 Commas, parentheses, or dashes separate inserted
information from the rest of the sentence.
 Commas suggest minor interruptions.
Jill Smith, President of MBI, will visit the site next week.
This procedure, which is clearly superior to the existing
one, will be unpopular with certain departments.
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Inserted Information
 Parentheses often indicate optional information and
clarifications.
Some organisms live in an anaerobic (airless)
environment.
 Parentheses are also used to enclose numbers or
letters.
The procedure involves three basic steps: (1) strip,
(2) dip, (3) dry.
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Inserted Information
 Dashes provide a greater sense of separation or
emphasis than commas or parentheses.
All three models – XL,XM, and XN – are in stock.
 Dashes are also used to signal asides.
Dashes are effective – if not overused.
Everyone must now wear identification cards – a
consequence of the recent rash of thefts.
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