Lesson video

Hi, I'm Mr. Buckingham and I'm so glad you joined me today to learn about the comma rule in non-finite complex sentences.

Now you probably already know that commas have lots of different uses in the English language.

So if we can master those different rules and the different ways we use commas, then we make our writing so much easier to understand for our reader.

So this lesson's going to really help us towards that goal, let's get to work.

Today's lesson is called "Using The comma Rule in Non-Finite Complex Sentences", and it comes from my unit called Five Sentence Types.

By the end of today's lesson we'll be able to use a comma to demarcate.

That means separate a main clause from a non-finite clause in a non-finite complex sentence.

Now, non-finite complex sentences are useful because they allow us to show two things happening at the same time.

So if we can master the comma rule for non-finite complex sentences, then we're well on our way to doing some really interesting writing.

Let's make a start.

Here are our keywords for today's lesson.

My turn, your turn, non-finite clause, progressive tense, comma, main clause and non-finite complex sentence.

Well done, let's look at those in a bit more detail.

A non-finite clause is a type of subordinate clause and it can start with a verb in the progressive tense with an ING suffix.

The progressive tense is a tense that shows ongoing action, action going on over a period of time.

A comma is a punctuation mark that can be used to separate the main clause from the non-finite clause in a non-finite complex sentence.

And the main clause is a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense on its own.

A non-finite complex sentence is formed of a main clause and a non-finite subordinate clause.

Let's look at today's lesson outline.

We're going to start by looking at commas in non-finite complex sentences and then we'll look at commas in some different complex sentences and look at the differences between them.

So a non-finite complex sentence contains a non-finite clause and a main clause.

Here's an example.

Putting my work to one side, I sat down to rest.

We can see here the non-finite clause and it can start with a progressive tense verb.

Now there are different types of non-finite clause, but we are focusing on ones that start with a progressive tense verb with an ING suffix, the letters ING at the end.

This word, putting is the start of our non-finite clause.

And then this is the main clause and we know main clauses make complete sense on their own.

I sat down to rest, could be its own sentence.

So look, we've put a non-finite clause in front of a main clause to make a non-finite complex sentence.

Putting my work to one side, I sat down to rest.

Now we could flip that the other way around.

We could say I sat down to rest, putting my work to one side.

Can you see how now we have the main clause at the start and the non-finite ING clause second there, putting my work to one side.

Now a non-finite complex sentence shows us two actions happening simultaneously, which means at the same time or roughly the same time.

So for instance, here we have the main action, I'm sitting down to rest and then another action happening at the same time.

I'm putting my work down and sitting down to rest at the same time.

So a non-finite clause shows us an additional thing we're doing at the same time as the main clause, which is a really helpful thing to be able to do in our writing.

Now there's a tricky rule we have to remember here.

The person doing that progressive tense ING verb, putting in this case, must be the same person as is doing the main clause.

So the person sitting down to rest must be the same person as is putting down their work.

They have to be the same or the non-finite complex sentence won't work.

Let me show you a bad example.

Opening the cupboard, there was a packet of cereal open.

Now there's a person opening the cupboard, but there's no person telling us about this packet of cereal, that doesn't work.

Instead, we should say opening the cupboard, I saw there was a packet of cereal open.

Now I, the person opening the cupboard, am the same person who's seeing the packet of cereal open.

So that one works.

We've got to make sure it's the same person in both parts of the sentence.

That's a tricky rule to try and remember.

So which of these non-finite complex sentences is correctly made? Which one follows that rule really well? Stepping into the bathroom, the bathroom was overflowing.

Stepping into the bathroom, I walked out.

And, stepping into the bathroom, I saw the bath was overflowing.

Pause the video and decide which one is correct.

Well done.

It can't be A because those two things are not being done by the same person.

Someone's stepping into the bathroom and then we're talking about the bath.

That doesn't work.

This one doesn't work because these two things can't be done simultaneously.

I can't step in at the same time as I walk out.

This one does work because I'm the person who sees the bath overflowing and I'm the person stepping into the bathroom.

Those two things can be done simultaneously and they're done by the same person.

Really well done if you spotted that.

Now in a non-finite complex sentence, there's always a comma and what it does is it demarcates, separates the main cause from the non-finite clause.

So for instance here, writing my signature on the form, comma, I smiled happily to myself.

Here we can see the non-finite clause at the start, starting with that ING word, it's an ING non-finite clause, writing my signature on the form.

And then we have the main clause here.

I smiled happily to myself and we have the comma separating the two, demarcating the end of the non-finite clause.

It's the same here I flipped the sentence, I smiled happily to myself, comma, writing my signature on the form.

This time the main clause comes first.

Then the non-finite clause, starting with the ING progressive tense verb.

But the comma separates the two.

It demarcates the end of the main clause and the start of the non-finite clause.

And we use that comma, whether the main clause or the non-finite clause comes first.

There's just always a comma between them.

So that's our comma rule we need to remember.

So which of the following is true? Pause the video and read the statements and decide which of these is true in a non-finite complex sentence.

Have a go.

Let's take a look.

It can't be A, because it's not true to say that the comma only happens when the non-finite clause is second.

The correct answer is B.

We always use a comma between the main clause and the non-finite clause, whether the non-finite clause comes first or second in a sentence.

So C must be wrong as well.

Really well done.

Now let's say we want to try and find out which part of a sentence is the non-finite clause.

Well, we can find the non-finite ING clause in a non-finite complex sentence by looking out for two things.

First, we're gonna look for that progressive tense verb with its ING suffix.

And second we'll look for the comma because we know the comma demarcates the end of a main clause and the beginning of a non-finite clause or the end of a non-finite clause and the beginning of a main clause, depending which way round the sentence has been constructed.

Let's take a look.

Here's a non-finite complex sentence.

"Hoping the ride would soon be over, I closed my eyes tightly." Well, there's our progressive tense ING verb, hoping and here's our comma.

So that section must be the non-finite clause, hoping the ride would soon be over.

And the rest of the sentence is the main clause.

I close my eyes tightly, and I can tell that's the main clause 'cause it makes complete sense in its own.

Here's another example.

"We stepped gingerly, holding each other's hands for comfort." Well, this time they both appear together.

We've got the comma followed by the ING verb, the progressive tense verb "Holding" that tells me this is the non-finite clause, holding each other's hands for comfort.

And then we step gingerly is a main clause.

It makes complete sense.

Now, can you use the comma and the progressive tense verb to try and find the non-finite clause in these sentences? So these must all be non finite complex sentences.

Pause the video and try and find those non-finite clauses.

Okay, let's take a look.

In A, we would have the non-finite clause, wishing we could help, starting with that ING verb wishing, in B, it's going to be blasting a goal past their keeper.

And in C, knowing there was nothing we could do.

So each time we can use that ING verb and that comma to try and find that non-finite clause.

Really good job if you've got all of this.

Now, let's suppose we have a non-finite complex sentence, which hasn't been punctuated yet.

It hasn't had the commas added to it yet.

Well, how are we going to find where we should place that comma? We can look at the main clause and that helps us to know where the comma should be placed to demarcate it from the non-finite clause to separate that main clause from the non-finite clause.

And we can also use that progressive tense ING verb to help us 'cause we know that's the start of the non-finite clause.

Let me show you how it works.

Driving through the city, she gazed up at the tour buildings.

Well, I can see that ING verb, driving, at the start there.

So I know that the non-finite clause must come first in this sentence.

Then I'm gonna look for the main clause, the part which would make sense in its own, which could be its own sentence.

And I can see that would be, "She gazed up at the tour buildings." So I know where the non-finite clause begins with that word driving and now I know where it must end.

It must end where the main clause begins.

So the comma must go there, driving through the city, comma, she gazed up at the tall buildings.

When the non-finite clause come second, we just put the comma before that ING word, we pushed on the door, hoping that it would come unstuck.

Now we can see that word hoping, that must be the beginning of the non-finite clause because that's our ING progressive tense verb.

So we're going to just put the comma before that word.

Now you track, where should the comma be placed in this sentence? "Watching the battle unfold, the soldier felt both sadness and frustration." Look out for the ING word and for the main clause.

And then we're going to put the comma to demarcate the non-finite clause from the main clause.

Pause the video and decide if it should be at A, B, C, or D.

Have a go.

Let's take a look, well done.

Well we can see the non-finite clause begins here with the word watching.

There's our ING verb and we can see this would be the main clause.

The soldier felt both sadness and frustration.

That could be a sentence on its own.

So the comma must go before the main clause begins to demarcate the non-finite clause from the main clause watching the battle unfold, comma, the soldier felt both sadness and frustration.

And it would look like this, really good job if you manage that.

Okay, what about this example? Where should the comma be placed here? "Jun suddenly shouted out in surprise, interrupting Mrs. Begum." Pause the video and decide where you put the comma in this non-finite complex sentence.

Well done, let's share answers.

Now we can see here the non-finite clause begins with the word interrupting.

So the non-finite clause must be interrupting Mrs. Begum.

So in this case, we need to put the comma before that non-finite clause because we have our main clause.

Jun suddenly shouts out in surprise.

So it would look like this.

Jun suddenly shouts out in surprise, comma, interrupting Mrs. Begum.

Well done if you got that one.

Let's try another one.

Which of the following non-finite complex sentences have the comma in the correct position? Pause the video and decide which ones are correctly punctuated.

Okay, let's take a look.

A is not correctly punctuated.

We should say, watching our neighbours closely, we stared out of the window, because the main clause must be we stared outta the window.

B is done correctly.

Look, that main clause would be, the other team was very physical.

That makes complete sense.

C's also correct.

The main clause would be, I sneaked into the party.

We've got our ING verb there starting on on final clause at the beginning.

D is not correct.

Sam tried to persuade her mom begging, would not be a main clause.

It doesn't make complete sense that comma has been placed too far along.

It should be before that ING verb, starting that non-finite clause, begging to be allowed to go.

Really well done if you notice those two mistakes.

Okay, let's start our first task of this lesson.

I'm going to show you some non-finite complex sentences and I want you to rewrite them, adding in the commas to demarcate, to separate the main clause from the non-finite clause.

Remembering those rules we've used to help us, finding the main clause, finding the ING verb and deciding where should they be separated by a comma.

Here are our sentences, pause the video and have a go.

Well done, let's take a look at where these comm should be placed.

In A, the non-finite clause is "Tapping me on the shoulder" and the comma goes after it.

In B, the non-finite clause is "Jotting down some notes" and the comma goes before it.

In C, we have the non-finite clause "Leaving our dinner uneaten", the comma goes before it.

And in D, the non-finite clause is "Rubbing my bruised arm", with the comma after it.

In E, "Raising the vast sails", is a non-finite clause.

The comma goes after it and in F, the non-finite clause is "Completing the necessary checks", with the comma in front of it.

If you've managed to get those, you've done an amazing job.

Really well done, okay, let's begin the second part of our lesson, looking at the comma rules in different types of complex sentence.

So we're now going to compare the common rules in non-finite complex sentences to the other complex sentences we may already know.

So we now know three types of complex sentence, and that's really useful to us because if we use all of those in our writing and mix them up and there read them, then we're gonna do some really exciting interesting writing for our reader.

So let's just recap what those three types of complex sentence are.

First we have adverbial complex sentences that might look like this, "When the lightning struck, the tree caught fire." So we've got an adverbial clause paired with a main clause.

And remember they could go either way around, "The tree caught fire when the lightning struck" would be an aerial complex sentence as well.

Then we've got a relative complex sentence, and that might look like this, "The tree, which had been struck by lightning, caught fire." Notice how often that relative clause in the middle interrupt the main clause.

Here the main clause would be "The tree caught fire." Let's be interrupted by that relative clause.

And we also have a non-finite complex sentence.

We've learned ones which looked like this, "Striking the tree viciously, the lightning lit up the sky." And again, we've got our main clause, the lightning lit up the sky, and we've got our non-finite ING clause, striking the tree viciously.

So we've got three types of complex sentence and we can tell them apart by looking at the subordinate clause in each one, the part of the sentence which wouldn't make complete sense on its own.

And then we look at the word which starts that subordinate clause.

And that helps us to tell the difference between these three types of complex sentence.

So our adverbial clause in an adverbial complex sentence will always start with a subordinating, conjunction, a word like when, while, because.

In our non-finite ING clause, the first word will be an ING progressive tense verb.

And in our relative clause, the first word will be which or who and relative pronoun.

So if you look at the word which starts the subordinate clause, that tells us what type of subordinate clause it is.

And that tells us what type of complex sentence it must be.

So can you decide if each of these is an adverbial, a relative or a non-finite complex sentence? And you're going to need to look at the word that starts that subordinate clause to try and work it out.

Pause the video and have a go.

Well done, great effort.

Let's take a look.

A has a subordinate clause starting with the word which, A relative pronoun.

So it's a relative complex sentence.

B has a subordinate clause starting with thinking, a progressive tense ING word.

So that must be a non-finite complex sentence.

C uses the word before to start its subordinate clause.

So that must be an adverbial clause.

So this must be an adv proverbial complex sentence.

And D has the word whining, an ING progressive tense verb starting its subordinate clause.

So that must be a non-finite clause.

So this must be a non-finite complex sentence, and there's a lot to be thinking of there.

So if you manage to do that, you've done a great job, well done.

Now, different complex sentences have their own common rules.

And we've talked about the common rule for non-finite complex sentences already.

We always have a comma between the non-finite clause and the main clause.

So let's look at the comma rules in those other complex sentences as well.

In a relative complex sentence, we might see something like this, Andeep, comma, who had a high temperature, comma, had to stay off school.

There's that relative clause who had a high temperature, starting with the relative pronoun who, so here we can see the commas are placed before and after the relative clause.

They are around it, demarcating it from that main clause, "Andeep had to stay off school." In an adverbial complex sentence, there's a slightly tricky rule to remember.

Let's see if you can spot it, when it's necessary, comma, Mr. McIntyre can be strict.

Mr. McIntyre can be strict when it's necessary.

So in the first example, we have a comma, and then second we don't.

So we can see the comma comes after an adverbial clause if it comes at the start of the sentence.

So we only use a comma in an adverbial complex sentence if the adverbial clause comes first.

We don't use it if the adverbial clause comes second, as in the second example.

That's a tricky one to remember.

So let's practise that tricky rule.

Which of these adverbial complex sentences need commas to be added? Pause the video and have a go.

Okay, let's take a look in A, we can see the adverbial clauses "When you see it", because that's second in the sentence we don't need a comma.

In B, "When you see it" comes first.

So we will need a comma after that adverbial clause.

For C, we can see the adverbial clause comes first, after the disastrous match was over.

So yes, we will need a comma after that adverbial clause to separate it from the main clause "We all trudged home".

But in D, that proverbial clause has been flipped to the end of the sentence.

So no, we won't need a comma there.

That's a tricky rule.

So well done if you've mastered it.

Now, let's recap when we need to use commas in complex sentences to demarcate to separate the clauses.

So we need to use those commas whenever a relative clause interrupts a main clause.

So for instance, in this sentence, Sophia, who was desperate to win gritted her teeth, we would put a comma before the start of the relative clause and after the end of the relative clause.

Sophia, comma, who was desperate to win, comma, gritted her teeth.

We've demarcated the relative clause from the main clause "Sophia gritted her teeth." We also always use commerce every time we write a non-finite clause in a non-finite complex sentence.

So gritting her teeth, comma, Sophia felt determined to win, or Sophia gritted her teeth, comma, believing she could win.

So whether the non-finite clause comes first or second, we always demarcate it from the main clause with that comma.

And then finally we use a comma.

When an adverbial clause comes first inial complex sentence, for instance, as she gritted her teeth, Sophia felt determined to win.

We've separated, demarcated the adverbial clause from the main clause, and we've done that because the adverbial clause has come first in the adverbial complex sentence.

So which of these complex sentences has been punctuated correctly with commas? Pause the video and decide.

Well done, let's take a look.

So A has been done correctly.

We have commas around the relative clause, "Which snaked around the building," separating it from the main clause.

"The queue was over 200 metres long." Perfect, B has not been done correctly.

We've got a non-finite clause "Beginning her explanation", and that should be followed by a comma.

C has been done correctly.

We need a comma here because the adverbial clause comes first, "While we repeated the system." So that is a correctly punctuated adverbial complex sentence.

Really well done if you've got those right.

Let's try some more.

Where should the commas be placed in these sentences? Pause the video and decide.

Okay, let's take a look.

So in the first one, we have a relative complex sentence.

The dictionary, which was over 700 pages long, was extremely hard to lift up.

So we will need a comma at A and at C to go around that relative clause, which was only 700 pages long.

For the second example, we have a non-finite complex sentence where the non-finite clause comes first.

So we've got to find the end of that non-finite clause.

It would be at B, lifting up the heavy dictionary, comma, I realised I could not hold it for long.

And remember, we can tell that by looking for the main clause, I realised I could not hold it up for long.

And that tells us that comma must come before that main clause.

Great job if you spotted this.

Now, we've talked about commas being used to demarcate to separate clauses, but commas are also used for a range of other purposes too and you will have learned about these before.

So now we've got to think.

In complex sentences, we might see commas being used to do two or three different things in the same sentence.

Let's have a look, we know that commas can be used to separate adjectives.

For instance, the warm, comma, bright sunlight.

We could put that in a non-finite complex sentence, "Stepping out into the playground, I felt the warm, bright sunlight on my skin." Look, we've got two commas.

The first one after playground separates the non finite clause from the main clause.

And the second one between warm and bright separates those two adjectives in the expanded noun phrase, the warm bright sunlight.

We can also use that comma to separate nouns in a list.

Now let's have a look at an example.

Andeep, Alex, Jun and Sophia.

That's a list of nouns.

And look, we've put two commas after Andeep and after Alex, we haven't put a comma after Jun because remember, we'd have that word and instead in a list, we don't need the comma.

But now we could put that list of nouns with its two commas into a non-finite complex sentence, Stepping out the into the playground, comma, I raced over to Andeep comma, Alex comma Jun and Sophia.

So we've got three commas used for two different purposes.

One after playground to separate the non-finite clause from the main clause, and then those two in that list of nouns.

So in both these sentences we've got one comma after our non-finite clause and one used for a different purpose.

And this can happen in other types of complex sentence too.

For instance, because the field was dark, comma, we kept closely to the narrow, comma, dusty path.

You might have spotted, this is an adverbial complex sentence.

So that first comma is following the adverbial clause to separate it from the main clause.

And the second comma is to separate those two adjectives, narrow and dusty, in the expanded noun phrase, "The narrow dusty path".

So again, we have two commas used for two different purposes in a complex sentence.

So which version of this sentence has all the commas used correctly? Pause the video and decide.

Well done, let's take a look.

Well, it can't be A can it? There are no commas in that sentence.

B has one comma after the adverbial clause "While we ate lunch".

But we have a list of nouns here, Izzy, Jacob and Sam.

And there's no comma here to separate them.

So C is correct because it has both the comma after the verb clause and the comma after Izzy in that list of nouns.

Well done if you got that one.

Let's try another one.

True or false? This sentence needs three commas to be added.

Here's the sentence, "The yacht, which was 15 metres long, had white sails, a red hole and brown rigging." Those are the ropes going up and down a ship.

Pause the video and decide if it's true that that sentence needs three commas to be added to it.

Have a go.

Well done, that is true.

Now can you explain why? Look at the two justifications and decide which one best explains why this sentence needs three commas to be added.

Have a go.

Well done, you're right, it's A, so this sentence needs a pair of commas around that relative clause, "Which was 50 metres long".

So that will be two commas.

And then it needs one comment in that list of nouns.

Actually, these are noun phrases, aren't they? White sails, comma, a red hole and brown rigging.

So it would look like this.

We've added three commas to the sentence.

Great job.

Now let's do our final task for this lesson.

I'm going to show you lots of complex sentences.

Now, they might need a comma to separate clauses within the sentence, but they might also need commas for those other purposes we talked about, to separate adjectives or to separate nouns in a list.

So look carefully at the sentences and rewrite them with all the commas that need to be added.

Here are the sentences, pause the video and have a go.

Good luck.

Okay, let's take a look and see if we can get all these commas in the right places.

A has a comma after the non-finite clause, and then between the two adjectives, "Empty and quiet." B has commas around the relative clause.

And then after Alex, and that list of nouns of names.

C has a comma between two adjectives, "Stern and tall." Then it has a comma before a non-finite clause wearing a neat, clean uniform.

But inside that non-finite clause, we have a comma between neat and clean.

Those two adjectives, really tricky one.

In D, we have a comma after the adverbial clause.

And then another comma between those two adjectives, damp and slushy.

In E, we have a comma after Jacob, because that's a list of nouns.

And then between long and narrow, two adjectives.

And in F, we have commas around the relative clause, "Who wants to resolve the issue?" And then a comma between the two adjectives, calm and helpful there as well.

Wow, that was a lot of commas to add.

So if you've got those, great job.

Okay, let's summarise the learning we've done in this lesson.

We learned that a non-finite complex sentence contains a main clause and a non-finite clause.

We learned that a non-finite clause can begin with a progressive tense verb with an ING suffix.

We learned that a comma always separates the non-finite clause from the main clause, whether the non-finite clause comes first or second in the sentence.

And finally, we learned that commerce are used for a range of purposes in complex sentences, including separating those nouns in a list and separating adjectives in an expanded noun phrase.

Fantastic job if you've managed to complete this lesson.

We've learnt some very tricky stuff and you've done a great job to get this far.

Really well done, and I hope to see you again in lesson.