Reading Tips
The information, on this page, is designed to help improve your reading speed and comprehension—especially when reading the PDF articles, published on this website. Nevertheless, some will probably find this information too tedious; and if so, then just skip to the “SUMMARY” (near the bottom). The full detailed information is provided, though, for those who can benefit from it.
In the literal grail series, the first PDF (7G-0-Intro) has one paragraph, near the beginning, titled “TECHNICAL NOTES”; and it has a link to this “Reading Tips” webpage, for more details. However, in case anyone has not read those technical notes, they are repeated in the following paragraph.
TECHNICAL NOTES
To aid in rapid comprehension, underlines are used frequently; simply skim each paragraph, before and/or after reading it normally, and focus on all “EMPHASIZED” words (as well as any word or short phrase, “within quote marks“). Text coloring and highlighting have meanings (see the COLORS webpage)—also, emphasis is normally underlines, italics, ALL CAPS, and bold (there are a few obvious exceptions, but bold is primarily reserved for quotes from God’s word). Bible verses are all from the KJV (unless otherwise noted). Bible commentaries quoted can be found on BibleHub.com; Strong’s numbers are used, after the number sign (#). To make further study easier, references are listed within the same paragraph (not pages away, like some articles and books). Any abnormal punctuation or grammar, is intended to improve reading and comprehension—especially if you understand the system used (details below). For convenience, Wikipedia is frequently quoted (for many people, it’s more accessible than libraries, books, encyclopedias, etc); also, most of the Wikipedia quotes, in this article, are common knowledge—and/or they have additional source documentation (in Wikipedia, or elsewhere).
Regarding ALL CAPS, and Other Emphases
Not too many years ago, it was considered taboo to use any emphasis (other than occasional italics). And ALL CAPS was considered, by some, as shouting. Now, however, there is a lot more variety in methods—even text coloring and highlighting (which is used in the PDFs, on this website); and indeed, coloring can help parallel concepts really stand out, even across multiple pages (see the COLORS webpage).
With a few rare and obvious exceptions, bold emphasis is reserved for quotes from the word of God; this is so that you can recognize—at a glance—whether the wording is divine inspiration, or human commentary. Also, italics within a Bible quote indicates that the word or phrase was supplied, by the translator, and is not in the original Hebrew or Greek (the translator added the wording, based on the context). Other emphases don’t usually have any special significance—except the level or degree of emphasis: italics is minor, underlines is normal emphasis, ALL CAPS is extra, and UNDERLINED ALL CAPS is double extra emphasis (none of which are intended to come across as shouting).
Some may wonder why underlines are used so frequently (and/or other special emphases, coloring, etc). The primary purpose, is to increase reading speed and comprehension—especially for speed readers, or those who find it beneficial. If it is distracting, at first, try to ignore it; but most people can learn to benefit from it, rather quickly. The words underlined are usually the most important, for the specific sentence; also, words may be underlined, in order to help prevent confusion between similar but different words or concepts.
Regarding Grammar
All text (in the PDF files) are run through grammar check software, before publication; and many, of the suggested grammar changes, are intentionally ignored (such as removing ALL CAPS, or changing punctuation). Furthermore, no two English teachers, and no two grammar check software programs, give the exact same grammar suggestions; plus, most grammar check programs have issues with copy and paste text, from standard Bibles (including but not limited to the KJV). Bottom line: the goal is communicating information, in a manner that normal English readers can readily understand. Satisfying every grammar teacher, is not the goal. Depending on who you ask, though, maybe that last sentence should’ve been written: “To satisfy, all grammar instructors, isn’t the objective.”
Regarding Punctuation
There is a lot that can be said, regarding punctuation, which will improve your reading comprehension. So please take the time, to go through these punctuation details; it will probably save you time, in the long run. Sometimes, the sentences (on this website) do deviate from normal punctuation; and again, understanding why will make your reading quicker, and easier (as well as improve your understanding). Below, there is a specific explanation, for how each different punctuation mark is used (on this website); most punctuation examples, used below, are written into the explanation sentences—so please carefully watch all of the punctuation, in the various descriptions.
Question Marks?
This punctuation is used to end a sentence, which is a question (standard usage). At the end of any sentence, there is a double space (and then the next sentence begins, with a Capital letter). In some cases, there are two or three questions marks in a row (for emphasis). Have you ever seen that before??
Exclamation Points!
This is used, as normal, to end a sentence with emphasis! Again, in some cases, there are two or three in a row—for EXTRA emphasis!!! Then there is a double space, etc.
Periods. …
Any normal sentence will end with a period, followed by a double space (this makes it easy, to recognize the end of any sentence). There is no such thing, as an emphasized normal sentence; so there will never be two periods, at the end of a sentence. However, three dots in a row are used, to show an ellipse (normal usage). Whenever there is an ellipse, at the start of a quoted phrase: “… this is an example …”—the first word will NOT be capitalized (even though that has been a common practice); the original quote should not be changed, not even the original lowercase letter changed to a capital letter (or, if anything is changed, it should be noted in [brackets]).
Periods are NOT used, at the end of an abbreviated word (for example 2 yrs, 10 ft, etc). This is to avoid an unnecessary break, which can look like the end of a sentence, etc. although it’s actually not the end of the sentence. This also avoids unnecessarily using two periods, very close to each other (for example, etc.). For the most part: abbreviations aren’t even used, in the 7GRAILS articles; and whenever they are used, it’s obviously an abbreviation. For example, have you EVER climbed Mt EVERest? Probably not; but whether or not you are a mountain climber, you can probably understand “Mt” is an abbreviation (you don’t need it to have a period—“Mt.”—in order to understand the meaning).
Semicolons;
These are used, to show a larger break than a comma; but a smaller break than a period. This is somewhat different than normal usage (where semicolons are only used, between two grammatically full sentences). In most cases, only one semicolon will be used per punctuated sentence (in other words, one semicolon per sentence—that ends with a period, exclamation mark, or question mark). The are a few exceptions, such as: #1 a numbered list, where semicolons provide a break before each new number; #2 another example is this current sentence (there is one semicolon, not inside parentheses; and right here there is another semicolon, that is within parentheses).
Colons:
These are used to introduce something (for example, “such as: …”); colons can also be used, similar to a semicolon (larger break than a comma): but the colon is used, rather than another semicolon, to avoid having more than one semicolon per sentence (as just mentioned above).
Long Dashes—
A hyphen, or short dash, is used as normal (for hyphenated words, like “high-tech”). Long dashes, quite obviously, are longer than a hyphen. If there is only one long dash, in a sentence, it is probably used as an abrupt break—emphasizing what comes right after. Sometimes, the long dash is used as a more normal break—this is to avoid using more than one semicolon, in the same sentence; and it can also avoid the following: more than one colon, in the same sentence.
If there are two long dashes—all in the same sentence—then the words, sandwiched between the dashes, are parenthetical (meaning that you can skip over them, and the sentence is still complete and sensible). Parenthetical phrases are beneficial: because you can insert additional information—including further punctuation, between the dashes—without writing a whole new sentence. For example: you could leave out the parenthetical phrase, in that last sentence; but then you would need to write a whole new sentence, in order to include that same information. However, this takes extra words—which takes up more space (plus it takes more time, for both the writer and the reader).
Commas,
These are used, quite frequently, in most sentences. Commas help you to digest information quickly, in small pieces; the writer knows where a good break is, much better the reader does (at least not without the reader stopping, to read and reread the sentence—which is a waste of time). Using a comma before a verb, is not acceptable—at least not for some grammarians; but this rule, is nonsense (and other such rules, which serve no purpose whatsoever: other than maybe pacifying grammatical traditions and technicalities). Commas can and should be used, whenever and wherever a break will improve readability (speed and/or comprehension); they should not be, used in places that, will unnecessarily disrupt smooth, reading.
Please turn right here. With no comma in that last sentence, which way should you turn: right, or left? Please turn, right here. With this comma placement, the instruction is where to turn (not which way). Please turn right, here. With this comma placement, the instruction is to turn right (not left).
Commas help avoid one long sentence that just runs on and on with no break so that the reader might have difficulty following everything that is written in the one long sentence without any punctuation anywhere other than the period that is at the end of the very long run on sentence. On the other hand, though, too many commas, without any other punctuation, can lead to some confusion, regarding which commas, in the sentence, separate parenthetical phrases, and which commas, such as some of the ones, in this sentence, might not be parenthetical, and therefore, the reading is more difficult.
This is why other punctuation can be used, in a sentence; if the semicolon just used was a comma, not a semicolon, there would be four commas up to this point—without any other punctuation—easily causing confusion, about whether a phrase is parenthetical or not. For this reason, two commas are not used in a row (without some other punctuation between)—unless the phrase, between the two commas, is parenthetical. However, there is an exception, such as the two commas just used; when there is a comma after a word, or a short phrase, which introduces the sentence (for example the “However,” at the start of this sentence): then that introductory comma, is probably not starting a parenthetical phrase (for example, the above phrase “there is an exception” is between two commas, yet it is not parenthetical).
(Parentheses)
In all cases, the word or words, inside a set of parentheses, are parenthetical (which is why they are called “parentheses”); also, the beginning of this sentence has three commas in a row, but only the second and third commas are parenthetical (because the first comma separates an introductory phrase, as just described above). In addition to parentheses, there are two other types of parenthetical punctuation (already detailed above): sets of commas (no extra emphasis), and sets of long dashes (indicating extra emphasis).
[Brackets]
When adding commentary, inside of a quotation, brackets should be used; this is to distinguish the added commentary, from the original quote. For example: “… and it fell not: for it [the house, representing the moral character] was founded upon a rock.” (Matthew 7:25).
“ ‘Quote Marks’ ”
Quote marks are used normally (double at the beginning and end of a quote, single for quotes within a quote). However, all punctuation within a quote is quoted exactly; no punctuation is added inside of quote marks—such as a period, at the end of the quote (which is commonly done). For example, the period after “rock” (from Matthew 7:25, quoted above) is not added; it is actually the end of the sentence, in Matthew 7:25 (not an added period—which would misrepresent the original quote, if it was not the end of the original sentence). Nevertheless, unless otherwise stated: any emphasis within a quote is probably added.
SUMMARY
Commas are used frequently, to break up a long string of words; a comma may be located almost anywhere (even if it’s a deviation from technical grammar rules), as long as the comma improves rapid comprehension. Parenthetical phrases are beneficial: because you can insert additional information (inside parentheses), without writing a whole new sentence; so it saves time, and space. There are three types of parenthetical punctuation marks: parentheses, commas, and long dashes; if you see a set of commas (without any other punctuation between the commas), or two long dashes—anywhere in the same sentence—then the phrase, between the commas or dashes, is parenthetical. However, there is an exception, such as the two commas just used; when there is a comma after a word, or a short phrase, which introduces the sentence (for example the “However,” at the start of this sentence): then that introductory comma, is probably not starting a parenthetical phrase (for example, the above phrase “there is an exception” is between two commas, yet it is not parenthetical).
DISCLAIMER NOTE
As described above: some standard grammar rules, and punctuation rules, are intentionally disregarded (in order to improve reading comprehension); nevertheless, this in no way endorses breaking any civil or moral laws.
UPDATE NOTE
Occasionally, there may be minor revisions or additions, to this page. Whenever that happens, the changes will be dated and listed here (at the bottom of the page). So you can read only the latest update notes (rather than reading the entire page again, with every new update).
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