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Matt Renfer Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Separating Therefore Between Clauses
Where does the punctuation go in this sentence?
"The oil has almost the same index of refraction as glass and therefore little light will be lost when passing from air above the specimen to the objective lens."
Is it:
"The oil has almost the same index of refraction as glass; and therefore, little light will be lost when passing from air above the specimen to the objective lens."
Same with this?
"Different frequencies travel at different speeds; and therefore, the colors do not all focus together at the edge of a lens."
"The oil has almost the same index of refraction as glass and therefore little light will be lost when passing from air above the specimen to the objective lens."
Is it:
"The oil has almost the same index of refraction as glass; and therefore, little light will be lost when passing from air above the specimen to the objective lens."
Same with this?
"Different frequencies travel at different speeds; and therefore, the colors do not all focus together at the edge of a lens."
Top answer
Hi Matt, I think the and in your sentences is unnecessary because the consequences of the first part of the sentence that are expressed in the second part are linked by therefore . As in: A is true, therefore B is true. Try saying it aloud this way: The oil has almost the same refractive index as glass, therefore little light will be lost...
- Hi Matt, I think the and in your sentences is unnecessary because the consequences of the first part of the sentence that are expressed in the second part are linked by therefore .
- As in: A is true, therefore B is true.
- Try saying it aloud this way: The oil has almost the same refractive index as glass, therefore little light will be lost...
- I would not use a semicolon either because there's not enough of a pause to justify it.
- In fact, it might be better to eliminate therefore and just say: Because oil has almost the same refractive index as glass, little light will be lost when...
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2 Answers
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Hi Matt,
I think the and in your sentences is unnecessary because the consequences of the first part of the sentence that are expressed in the second part are linked by therefore. As in: A is true, therefore B is true.
Try saying it aloud this way: The oil has almost the same refractive index as glass, therefore little light will be lost...
I would not
I think the and in your sentences is unnecessary because the consequences of the first part of the sentence that are expressed in the second part are linked by therefore. As in: A is true, therefore B is true.
Try saying it aloud this way: The oil has almost the same refractive index as glass, therefore little light will be lost...
I would not
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TrysB,
That is very helpful. Thank you very much.
I see that you're a writer/editor for a scientific journal. Do you mind if I direct future questions to you? I'm currently editing a 145-page Microbiology laboratory manual. I sometimes get tripped up on all the terminology.
- Matt
That is very helpful. Thank you very much.
I see that you're a writer/editor for a scientific journal. Do you mind if I direct future questions to you? I'm currently editing a 145-page Microbiology laboratory manual. I sometimes get tripped up on all the terminology.
- Matt
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