Punctuation marks for stand-alone definitions: rules and examples of exercises

In human speech, information is transmitted not only by words, but also by non-verbal means: facial expressions, pauses, gestures, intonations, expression. With the help of these communicative tools separate words or whole sentences are isolated. So they are given different semantic shades and a more independent role. In writing, isolation is achieved by punctuation marks. Without their help, it is very difficult to fully and correctly convey thoughts, ideas.

This becomes especially significant when separating definitions that play a crucial role in the proposal: the main members explain and describe, depict a variety of situations, phenomena and objects. Namely definitions, along with other minor members, often become the main carriers of the meaning embodied in the sentence. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly punctuate with separate definitions, circumstances and additions.

Correct punctuation in this case becomes not only a matter of literacy, but also an indispensable condition for the accurate transfer of information. Indeed, sometimes the absence of a comma in a sentence or its incorrect formulation noticeably changes the essence. To prevent this from happening, you need to confidently break into the rules for setting punctuation marks with separate definitions. There are not many such rules; they are easy to understand. To consolidate and hone knowledge is best done through exercises.

With personal pronouns

Referring to any personal pronouns, all kinds of definitions are always highlighted with commas, separated. In this case, punctuation marks are always put in separate agreed definitions and inconsistent. Examples:

• "With hair wet from the water, you went out of the sea."
• “I, annoyed and upset, could not cope with emotions.”
• "Thoughtful, he did not notice how he came home."
• "She, intoxicated by love, has forgotten about time."
• “We, with shaved heads and yellow robes, were like Buddhist monks.”
• “I am amazed that you, with such long arms, cannot get your suitcase.”
• "In sumptuous evening gowns, they were eye-catching."

Punctuation marks in applications

And separate definitions expressed as attachments obey a similar rule if they depend on a common noun. Example:

• “Their uncle, an aviation general, lived in Orenburg.”
• "General of Aviation, their uncle lived in Orenburg."

If the application depends on the proper name, then it is isolated only when it stands after the main word. Example:

• "Karpov, aviation general, lived in Orenburg."
• "Aviation General Karpov lived in Orenburg."

The application is highlighted with commas, provided that it is after the main word:

• "A sailor came to us in the compartment, a guy of about twenty."
• "His neighbor, a trucker, was not at home for a long time."

An application that has great semantic meaning and is at the end of a sentence often highlights a dash. Example:

• "December ended - the most hectic month of the year."
• "The son hung on the wall a poster of James - the best basketball player of our time."

Definitions that are divorced from the main word

This rule governs the placement of punctuation marks in separate definitions of inconsistent and agreed. A definition must necessarily be distinguished by commas on both sides if other words are placed between it and the word being defined. Moreover, it is preferable to use a dash rather than a comma, provided that the definition ends the sentence. Examples:

• "They were awakened by a knock on the forged door - heavy, echoing."
• “Mom listened attentively to me, sad, guessing about everything, and was silent.”
• "Ira burst into the hall - in a turquoise dress and a diadem in her hair."
• "With a matted beard and in plain rags, a wanderer came out of the forest, leaning on a stick."
• "Scarlet and ominous, eyes shone in black darkness."

Common participles or adjectives

Punctuation marks in separate definitions are always put on the condition that they are in the sentence after the main word, and are also a participial phrase or a common adjective, with one or more dependent words. Examples:

• "A river running past meadows swelled from the rain."
• "The kitten, who fell asleep on an armchair, tugged his legs in a dream."
• "His hands, dark with dirt and tanning, made me dislike."
• "The branches, heavy with apples, were noticeably bent, almost touching the grass."

Two or more consecutive single consistent definitions

This rule is always true when the main word is faced with at least one more definition related to it, usually in the form of a single adjective. If it is not, then in sentences punctuation marks with separate definitions are placed at the author’s choice, taking into account the semantic and intonation load of the definitions. Examples:

• "The bald man, annoyed and hasty, nervously wrinkled his hat."
• "We sailed in a wooden boat, old and leaking."
• "The waterfall, tall, swift, suddenly appeared right in front of us."
• "From the sunset of the summer and the beautiful, the soul trembled."

Agreed definitions with added value

Distributed in a letter are common or single definitions that embody the meaning of a reason, condition or other circumstance. Punctuation marks in separate definitions of this type are quite simple to put, replacing the definition with a sentence equivalent in meaning, starting with the phrase “because” or “if”. Examples:

• "Offended by a friend (because he was offended by a friend), Dad decided not to go to work."
• “Tired (because I’m tired), my mother decided not to cook.”
• "Interested in the topic (because he became interested in the topic), the class began to listen."
• "It’s hard for a girl in love (if she’s in love) not to share feelings."
• “Frightened by the noise (because he was frightened), the kitten screwed up a coat on its back.”

Inconsistent definitions expressed in nouns in indirect cases

Punctuation marks in case of separate definitions in this case are placed if the semantic meaning of the definitions is clearly expressed and has a clear independence. Moreover, isolation is necessary in any case: is the main word after or before the definition. Examples:

• "This cat, with red hair, is hungry."
• "The man with the mustache in the black jacket screamed the most in line."
• "On a racing motorcycle, in leather clothes, the girl was irresistible."

Infinitive definitions and punctuation marks

Separate definitions, which are the infinitive, are inconsistent and are more often separated at the end of the sentence by a dash, in the middle by two dashes or dashes and a closing comma. Examples:

• "Parents painfully solved the long-standing issue - to go or not to go - for themselves and for the children."
• "Oleg faced a dilemma - to lose a friend or save the money that was so needed now."
• "We have only one way out - to play and win."

With proper names

Here it is not difficult to put punctuation marks in separate definitions. The inconsistent definition located next to the proper name can be safely marked with commas. Moreover, isolation is necessary in any case: is the main word after or before the definition. Examples:

• "Alena Kosachova, in a striped dress, in red boots, looked defiantly at those around him."
• "With a spreading mustache and a long forelock, Oleg resembled a Cossack."

Combination of inconsistent definitions with one or more consistent definitions

If a series of homogeneous members is formed from successive inconsistent and consistent definitions. Moreover, isolation is necessary in any case: is the main word after or before the definition. Examples:

• "A woman, cheerful, in a green dress, ran into the museum, hiding from the rain."
• "The fisherman, wet, dirty, in huge boots, stepped out of the river."
• “A strong morning coffee with a delicious froth cheered me up with one look.”

Exercises

Students learn definitions in grade 8. Separate definitions, punctuation marks and rules for their use, of course, can be comprehended outside the school curriculum. Over time, even former excellence students may forget some norms for setting commas and dashes. The best way to brush up on the rules or to understand and remember them deeper is to pass the tests and solve exercises on the topic of separate definitions.

Just memorizing the rules and analyzing a few examples is often not enough to master the isolation of definitions in all the nuances. The rules succinctly and logically organize all kinds of punctuation cases and are a convenient guide to action; a person who has learned them may have the illusion of knowledge and confidence that he is safe from possible mistakes. However, the Russian language is multifaceted and flexible. There are many cases in it that can puzzle even linguists.

In such cases, one perfect knowledge of the rules is not enough, it also requires linguistic instinct, experience, logical thinking. Working with exercises develops all these skills. Exercises improve the linguistic flair, make you think and look at the text not as a passive reader, but more actively, as a complex and interesting task. At the same time, experience is growing, which subsequently helps to put punctuation marks in particularly difficult cases by analogy. Exercises can better understand the rules of isolation, applying them in different language situations.

In the current age of the information revolution, it is not difficult to find the necessary educational material. No need to go to the library or look for a teacher of the Russian language, everything is on the Internet in completely free access. And find exercises for every taste: for a different level of preparedness; for spot work with a specific rule; to prepare for the exam or just to improve your own literacy. A number of typical exercises on the topic of “Separate Definitions” are given below as an example.

Exercise One: Explain punctuation when using separate definitions.

• "He, swift and agile, managed to grab the ball, ahead of rivals."
• "Combed, perfumed, in a spotless suit, I looked like a real dandy."
• “My father, a famous scientist, instilled in me a love of knowledge since childhood.”
• "Ivanov, a philanthropist and a great original, again surprised the public with a large contribution to one of the foundations."
• "Church candles, thin, fragile, brightly lit the temple."
• "A puppy clinging to a stick growled, but it furiously wagged his tail."
• "His coat, white with snow, was thrown in the hallway."
• "Coniferous branches, spruce and pine, left needles on the clothes."
• "Asleep after dinner, friends did not get into the afternoon session."
• "Laughing at the joke, the girl could no longer continue to sob with the same inconsolability."
• "An old Uzbek man, with a huge spoon in his hand, thoughtfully interfered with pilaf in a flat cauldron."
• “With a pink breast and a black head, the bullfinch stood out clearly against the backdrop of immaculately white snow.”
• “Ignat lived by one persistent desire - to please his beloved in everything.”
• “Alena, in blue jeans, with a telephone in her hands, said hello, and sat down opposite.”
• "The moon, full, filled with silver, slowly rose above the forest."

Second exercise: place punctuation marks, underline separate definitions.

• “They looked startled and shocked at the screens, unable to avert their eyes.”
• “A neighbor’s son, a mobile boy of seven years old, was resting with us at sea.”
• “Horses literally flew through the meadow, swift and graceful.”
• "The old dark church from time to time majestically towered over the city."
• "A student who has passed the exams brilliantly has become a certified engineer."
• "A warm loaf soft and fragrant instantly reminded of how long they ate."
• “It was hard for him to understand the behavior of these deserted and starving people.”
• “Darkness in the mountains comes rapidly starry and cool”
• "Blinded by her beauty, the man did not notice flaws and obvious shortcomings in the chosen one."
• "The singer, all in feathers and gold, famously danced on stage, leading the audience into a frenzy."
• "Already completely desperate, we found in the basement of Sharik in the mud scared."
• "The players were inspired by the general idea to win."
• “Artyom tall sinewy was ideally difficult for volleyball.”
• "Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Artemyev did not shy away from working with novice scientists."
• “The long and complicated conversation between the previously irreconcilable teams ended with a decision that made everyone happy - to work together.”
• "His plaintive meow and abandoned appearance evoked persistent desires to warm protect feed."
• "The mother, seized by maternal feeling, rushed at the dumbfounded fox."
• “At first, he came up and didn’t understand where he was, but then with pleasure he saw the blue and alluring sea through the foliage.”

The third exercise: explain the punctuation marks with the separate definitions highlighted, indicating in which cases they are mandatory and in which they are put at the author’s choice.

• "Ksenia, with a bitter grin on her face, ran out of the room."
• “March has come - the first month of the long-awaited spring.”
• "A flower, thin and pathetic, clung to the wall, imperceptibly giving the world its beauty."
• “A tiny creature, trembling with any sound, in a year turned into a dog, large and toothed.”
• "My friend, the chef, even on picnics can not escape from work."
• "The clouds caused us great anxiety - black, heavy."
• “From his words, sarcastic and unjust, I wanted to cry.”
• "Hungry, the husband started a dispute, inventing an empty reason for him."
• “All services received strict instructions to block certain sites and social networks.”
• "Thoughts, gloomy, stinging, persistent, filled his head, deprived of sleep, turned nights and days into constant torment, which does not stop for a moment."
• "Two-story houses, empty, with broken windows, closely encircled the street and aroused in the soul one urge to get away as soon as possible."
• "The president, fit and sprightly, was the first to move towards the guest, holding out his hand on the move."
• "A butterfly, small, with rainbow wings, zigzags darted between the frames."