Breakdown of Мы всегда выделяем деепричастие запятыми.
мы
we
всегда
always
запятая
comma
выделять
to set off (to highlight, imperfective)
деепричастие
verbal adverb
Questions & Answers about Мы всегда выделяем деепричастие запятыми.
Why use выделяем here to mean "set off"?
The verb выделять (imperfective) generally means "to highlight," "to isolate," or "to single out." In the context of punctuation, выделять запятыми is the standard Russian phrase for "to set off with commas."
Why is запятыми in the instrumental case?
It shows the instrument or tool used to perform the action. You are isolating the verbal adverb by means of commas, which requires the instrumental plural form of the noun запятая (comma).
The word запятыми has an adjective ending. Is запятая an adjective?
Historically, yes! The word запятая is a substantivized adjective, meaning it evolved from an adjective into a noun but kept its adjective declension. That is why its instrumental plural is запятыми rather than taking a standard noun ending like -ами.
The sentence says we всегда (always) set off verbal adverbs with commas. Is this a strict rule?
It is the standard rule, but there are important exceptions you will learn in this unit. For example, if a verbal adverb is part of a fixed idiom (like спустя рукава, meaning "carelessly") or has lost its verbal action to become a regular adverb, it is not set off by commas.
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