Indicate commas for the opening word

Surely everyone knows that commas are always put at the opening word . However, we should pay attention to the fact that often students and those who have long graduated from general education school, there are great difficulties with such punctuation. With what it is connected, we will consider in this article.

General information

Virtually everyone knows that the introductory word is allocated with commas. However, only a few can define this part of the sentence.

So, the introductory words are those that are not formally associated with the members of the sentence. Moreover, they are not they, but only express their characteristics and attitude to the information reported.

What parts of speech are presented?

It is not enough to know where a comma is used to highlight the introductory words, and where not. After all, in order to apply the rules of punctuation, you should find the same expression. And this is not always a simple task. From the grammatical point of view, such words can be represented by pronouns and nouns (without prepositions and prepositions), various verbal forms (infinitives, personal forms, verbal participles), and also nominal phraseological (sometimes verbal) and adverbs.

What are the difficulties?

As you know, commas at the opening word are always put. However, it should be noted that when they are defined, there are often great difficulties. What exactly are they?

• Among the introductory words and similar combinations, there are quite a few that are used in sentences only as introductory words, and therefore always separate. Let us give an example: if I may say so, in my opinion, in the first place and so on. In most cases, exactly the same words can be used as introductory words, as members of a sentence (circumstances or predicates), and as service words, that is, particles or conjunctions. To distinguish them, you need to read the entire sentence or paragraph. After all, introductory words manifest only in context.
• The second difficulty that most students face is that the punctuation of the opening words depends on their surroundings.

What are the key words for?

Commas in the opening words should be placed only when they are in the proposal as such. But how to distinguish them?

As a rule, opening words are used in various sentences for:

• Instructions on the degree of reliability of the fact or message (in fact, no doubt, perhaps, certainly, surely, undoubtedly, it is known, perhaps more accurately, in fact, apparently, naturally, really, etc.).
• Instructions on the degree of usuality of any information (as always happens, as usual, happened, according to custom, as usual, it happened, happens).
• Expressions of emotional assessment of what is being talked about or reported (to astonishment, a sinful deed, unfortunately, a well-known case, to shame, as a disaster, strangely enough, as luck would have it, unfortunately, to vexation, to regret, fortunately, Unfortunately, to joy, to surprise, in some way, a strange thing, etc.).

• Instructions to one or another source of the message (I think I see how I believe, as is known, as they said, they say, as I remember, it is known, I remember, as I recall, according to words, it is heard, according to reports, in my opinion, etc.).
• The way of expression of thought (generally speaking, more correctly, as they say, is guilty, incidentally, blatantly expressed, in other words, to put it mildly, in other words, it is better to say, in other words, to say the word, as they say, frankly speaking, whatever one may say, in a word, As you please, in short, actually, etc.).
• Instructions on the expressive nature of a particular utterance (nothing to say, without flattery to say, to tell the truth, if you tell the truth, not to the night be said, except jokes, in truth, between us, frankly speaking, between us saying, I assure you, Truth in speaking, conscience and so on).
• Instructions on the relations between certain parts of the utterance (in any case, to top it off, the main thing, in the end, first of all, comes out mainly, at the same time, so, in general, means, for example, etc.).
• Calls to attention (please believe, if you want, see, understand, listen, do not believe, imagine, have mercy, if you like, you can imagine , You understand, you will not believe, etc.).
• Expressions of restriction or refinement of any statement (at least, without exaggeration, at least to some extent).

In which cases do not put commas?

Commas with the opening word should always be put. However, it is quite difficult to determine them immediately. For example, there is a deep misconception that the following words are introductory: hardly, perhaps, in addition, as if, I suppose, literally, it is, suddenly, hardly, after all, after all, in the long run, meanwhile, seemingly, exclusively , Even, as it were, as if (as if), moreover, by decision (to someone), just, ostensibly, according to the decree (s), approximately, almost, simply, approximately, decisively. But this is not so. These expressions are not introductory, and therefore, they should not be separated with commas.

Introductory offers

In addition to the introductory words, the whole text often uses whole introductory sentences. As a rule, they have a value that is very close to the values of opening words or similar combinations. In any case, such sentences (depending on the location in the text) should be marked with commas (less often dashes).

Examples of tasks

To consolidate material about opening words and their isolation, teachers very often give their students a practical task. As a rule, it is aimed at revealing, whether the child has learned the subject or is required to repeat it again.

So, let's give an example of one of these tasks:

It is necessary to carefully read the following proposals, which contain numbering. Further it is required to write out all digits denoting commas at the opening word.

• The girl returned to the library a textbook (1) probably (2) even (3) without reading it.
• The sky was cloudy. Soon (1) probably (2) there will be a downpour.
• He should be given an important morning and (1) there should be (2) a sad letter.
• What (1) can be (2) more important than anti-cancer drugs?
• Of course (1) she wanted to reward herself for years of labor (3) primarily (3) herself.