Multiple Independent Clauses
18
Discourse consists of multiple independent clauses, and the good writer marks the junctures between them according to an intended meaning and emphasis. Punctuating between independent clauses is different from punctuating within the clause, but the answer is based on the same principle (meaning and emphasis) and on the same knowledge (recognition of the independent clauses).
19
There are but two devices for marking the juncture between independent clauses: the hierarchy of punctuation marks (Table 1) and a set of coordinate conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet, then). Let me emphasize that these are the only devices for marking the juncture between independent clauses—in spite of what handbooks and style manuals and workbook exercises tell us, or seem to tell us.4 Writers use these devices to convey semantic intent, and as they use them, they use the differences inherent in each group as well as combinations among them (more numerous than the brief list suggests) to produce their intended semantic effects.