The great importance of acquiring a thorough knowledge of punctuation,
and of attending strictly to the application of its rules, is
established by the single fact, that _the meaning of a sentence is often
totally perverted by the omission or misapplication of points_. To
illustrate the correctness of this remark, numerous example might be
selected. The following border on the ridiculous: "Mr. Jared Hurton
having gone to sea his wife, desires the prayers of this church:"
"Tryon, who escaped from the jail on Friday last, is 22 years of age,
has sandy hair, light eyes, thin visage, with a short nose turned up
about six feet high, &c." Corrected; "Mr. Jared Hurton having gone to
sea, his wife desires the prayers of this church;" "thin visage, with a
short nose turned up, about six feet high, &c."
Before one enters upon the study of punctuation, it is necessary for him
to understand what is meant by an _adjunct_, _a simple sentence_, and a
_compound sentence_.
An _adjunct_ or _imperfect phrase_ contains no assertion, or does not
amount to a proposition or sentence; as, "Therefore;" "studious of
praise;" "in the pursuit of commerce.
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