Core Grammar For Lawyers: Sentence Structure

Subordinating clauses

a clause, typically introduced by a conjunction, that forms part of and is dependent on a main clause. "after, since, if, because, although, unless, and before"

Compound noun

composed of two (or more) words, often joined with a hyphen, that create a new noun that expresses a new, single idea. E.g. The Defendant-Appellee, The right of self-defense.

Compound verbs

composed of two words that together create a new verb. E.g. freeze-dry hang-glide.

Never use a hyphen to

join an adverb to an adjective when the adverb ends in - ly

In formal legal writing, rarely is it a good idea to place interrupting text inside parentheses, for two reasons

1. Every word in your formal legal writing should be important. If you include important text in parentheses, you are tempting your readers to skip information that you want them to know; and 2. If you are including text that is not important in your formal legal writing, then you are wasting your reader's time. Rather than putting marginally important text in parentheses, consider whether you should leave the text out altogether.

Compound Modifier

A compound modified is a pair (or group) of words that function together (expressing one thought) as an adjective or adverb to modify a noun, adjective, or verb. When a compound modifier appears before the word it modifies, its words are generally connected with a hyphen. Example: "A long-term contract." If the modifier appears after the word it modifies, do not use a hyphen. Example: "The contract was long." If the word of the compound modifier ends in - "ly", never use a hyphen. Example: "A fairly long engagement."

Prepositional phrase

A group of words introduced with a preposition. The noun that follows the preposition is called the object of the preposition. Prepositional phrases often indicate time (e.g., "after the trial" and "before the arraignment") and space (e.g., "on my desk" and "in the parking lot").

Conjunction

A word that connects two clauses or shows the relationship between words in the same clause. A conjunction is a part of speech.

A comma splice

Is a common grammar error. It occurs when a writer incorrectly joins two independent clauses with a comma instead of a semicolon.

Interruptions and Dashes

One other pair of punctuation marks can be used to set off an interruption: dashes. Dashes, like commas and parentheses, can be used--in pairs--to set off interruptions in a sentence.

Parentheses signal that the information contained in them is merely incidental. Furthermore, parenthetical interruptions can be distracting to read. When should parenthetical phrases be used?

Parenthetical phrases should be used only occasionally in formal writing and only if you are sure that you want the reader to consider the interruption to be secondary to the main part of the sentence. Lawyers use parentheses more commonly in emails and casual notes to mark incidental information. In those settings, the reader is less likely to be distracted by them or frustrated by the tangential nature of the material contained in them.

Introductory clauses

Should also be set off with a comma.

Independent clause

a group of words that can stand alone as sentences. Contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. A single sentence can contain more than one independent clause.

Introductory single words

a word, phrase, or clause that functions as introductory material in a sentence should be set off with a comma.

A colon ( : ) is a punctuation mark that

always follows an independent clause and introduces, or points to, the material that follows. The material that follows a colon can be a list, a quotation, or another independent clause. Avoid using a colon to separate a verb or a preposition from its object, even if the colon otherwise follows an independent clause.

If the a point is a main point, the writer should use commas

and not parentheses.

A clause is a group of words that

contains both a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand on its own as a sentence; a dependent clause cannot.

There is a preference in legal writing to separate all

introductory material with a comma, even if the introductory material is only one word. "Therefore, the court holds in favor of the defendant-appellee."

Parenthetical phrase should only be set off with traditional parentheses

not with any of the brackets that exist on most computer keyboards like [ ] = wrong.

Run-on Sentence

occurs when multiple independent clauses are strung together without proper connecting punctuation. Independent clauses must be joined properly, for example, by using a semicolon, a colon, a dash (in less formal writing), or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (such as and). Joining two independent clauses with simply a coordinating conjunction creates a run-on sentence.

A semicolon ( ; ) is a

punctuation mark that joins two independent clauses. A semicolon can also be used to separate items in a list when the items are complex or contain internal punctuation. In tabulated list, treat even simple items as if they are are "complex," separating them from one another with semicolons.

Use dashes (rather than commas or parentheses) to

set off an interruption that you want to draw attention to. Dashes can highlight the emotional appeal of the information contained within them. Can be thought of as opposite of parentheses, they set off text that is crucial to the point.

A subordinating word makes a clause with a subject and a verb

unable to stand on its own as a sentence because the clause no longer contains a complete thought.

Joining independent clauses with commas and conjunctions

you may also join independent clauses with a comma and a conjunction. E.g. Dogs bark, and cats meow.

Compound numbers

you should also use hyphens to connect compound numbers. E.g. Twenty-five