Does the word "means" stand out with commas or not? "So": do you need a comma?

Great and powerful Russian language. In what other language can the same word express different values, depending on the statement of the comma? And in the Russian language, such phenomena are very often. Take, for example, the word "means" - a comma that highlights it, lets us know that it is introductory.

"Means" - an introductory word

The words that express the speaker's attitude to what he says are distinguished by commas. They are called introductory, since they have no direct relation to what is being said in the sentence. Such words express confidence, the author's uncertainty about the reliability of the information presented, its source, the order of the author's thoughts, his appeal to the interlocutor.

The word "means" helps the speaker to build his thoughts logically. It can still be replaced by synonyms "consequently", "thus", "so". Checking commas in this case is very simple: if the word can be omitted, and the meaning of the sentence does not change, the commas are put.

Examples of the use of the introductory word "means" at the beginning of the sentence

Here are the sentences in which the comma is put after "means", in which the word or its synonyms should be at the very beginning:

• So you're not going to school today?
• Therefore, today's lessons have been canceled?
• So, you did not ask homework?
• So, I'm absolutely free today.
• So, take your jacket and go home.
• Therefore, you will have time to go to the stadium.
• So, soon you will be free.
• So, we'll wait.
• Therefore, you need to remake.
• So, get ready, think.

As can be seen from these examples, the meaning of the proposals is not entirely clear. This is because the introductory word "means" expresses the relationship of the investigation. That is, it needs a context. Let us consider such examples.

Introductory word "means" in the middle of the sentence

In these cases, note that the comma before "means" and its synonyms are also put, that is, this word stands out from two sides:

• Today, classes are canceled, so you will not go to school today?
• At school from today, quarantine, so, the lessons are canceled.
• Today, there were no classes, therefore, you did not ask homework.
• We did not ask homework, so I'm absolutely free today.
• If you have already finished the work, therefore, take the jacket and go home.
• You were released earlier, so you will have time to go to the stadium.
• Today is a shorter day, therefore, soon you will be free.
• Mom will not come back soon, so we'll wait.
• You have a lot of mistakes in your work, therefore, you need to remake.
• You completed the task with errors, then, get ready, think.

Checking commas

Recall that the statement of commas at the opening words is checked by their pass:

• Today classes canceled, you do not go to school today?
• At school there is a probe of the USE, today's lessons have been canceled?
• Today, there were no classes, you did not ask homework.
• Homework we did not ask, I'm absolutely free today.
• If you have already finished the work, take the jacket and go home.
• You have been released before, you will have time to go to the stadium.
• Today is a shorter day, soon you will be free.
• Mom will not come back soon, we'll wait.
• You have a lot of mistakes in your work, you need to remake.
• You completed the task with errors, gather, think.

As you can see, this introductory word is quite possible to remove from the sentence without detriment to the meaning. A punctuation mark still exists, in these cases he shares simple sentences as part of complex ones. By the word "means" the comma has nothing to do with.

Not an introductory

The word "means" stands out with commas or not. Consider the conditions under which no punctuation is required. First, it must be a predicate, and then it will be impossible to remove it without harming the meaning of the statement, secondly, one can put a question to it from the subject, from which the question is posed to dependent words.

For example:

• Family (what does?) Means (for whom?) For me everything.
• It's nothing (what does not?) Does not mean.
• Something that (what does?) Means.
• His word is a lot (what does?) Mean.

In all these sentences, the word "means" does not include a comma.

Work with text

Suppose we need to write down the numbers of sentences in which the introductory word "means" stands out with a comma:

1) Grandma loves music, but her career as a pianist somehow did not ask. 2) And she does her best to make a musician from Alesha. 3) And the dream of seeing a grandson as a famous artist means a lot to her. 4) She finds that Alexei even looks like a young Paganini.

5) None of the family personally knows this famous violinist, but the pope dares to claim that he had black eyes and a thin pale face framed with resinous hair. 6) Alyosha is chubby, blush, blue-eyed and fair-haired. 7) Hence, there is no complete coincidence of external features. 8) But the grandmother stubbornly insists that the resemblance lies in the depths of the eyes, and they at her grandson glow with the same inspiration as the famous Italian. 9) It sees only she alone. 10) Yet the rest find that in the boy's eyes complete tranquility, which sometimes only mildly mingles with cunning.

11) The musical career of the grandson is not set, and to somehow move the business from a dead end, grandmother decides on the trick. 12) Once she answers the questions of the puzzle concert, and sends a letter to the editor on behalf of the grandson. 13) And in a few days the announcer in a surprised voice informs on the radio that a second-grade student correctly answered eleven of the thirteen questions, which means that he takes the second place in the musical quiz. 14) In addition, she notes that the answers of the child are not child-like circumstantial and intelligent, which indicates that the music in his school is taught at the highest level.

15) But in fact music in Alyoshina school was not taught at all: could not find an educated teacher. 16) But after the victory of Alesha in the musical competition had to immediately find. 17) After all, others begged to exchange experience. 18) "If you have such successful students, it means that you have wonderful music teachers," the head of the educational institutions of the city told the director of Alyoshina school, "do not be greedy, share."

19) Alyosha's grandmother rejoiced: it means that her idea still brought benefits, even if not her grandson, and at least somebody will become a great musician with her direct participation.

The correct answer is this: with the introductory word "means" the comma is put in sentences 7, 18, 19.