Bow Tie Kreative Writing System
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Rules / syntax

SYN-002 Hard constraint layer: sentence

Separate fused independent clauses

IF adjacent independent clauses have no valid boundary, THEN add a coordinator and punctuation, a semicolon, or a period ELSE retain.

Why the rule exists

Clause boundaries keep propositions from collapsing into a run-on.

Condition

The rule fires when this evaluates true. Paths marked below must be present in the fact base; the engine reports the rest rather than guessing them.

  • ALL
    • sentence.independent_clause_count gte 2
    • sentence.valid_boundary_count lt 1

Facts this rule reads

PathSource
sentence.independent_clause_count Derived from text
sentence.valid_boundary_count Derived from text

Then

  1. insert — target sentence.clause_boundary

Else

  1. retain — target current_text, No triggering condition is present.

LAKA

Smallest sufficient intervention
Yes
Primary axes

Sources

  • The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation — Jane Straus; Lester Kaufman
    Accessible grammar, punctuation, examples, and exercises.
  • Grammar, Punctuation, and Sentence Structure — Purdue Online Writing Lab link
    Practical mechanics, clause, sentence, punctuation, and style guidance.
The raw rule record

Verbatim from 09-syntax-and-sentence-rules.json. Also available at /v1/rules/SYN-002.

{
  "id": "SYN-002",
  "name": "Separate fused independent clauses",
  "domain": "syntax",
  "layer": "sentence",
  "strength": "hard_constraint",
  "human_logic": "IF adjacent independent clauses have no valid boundary, THEN add a coordinator and punctuation, a semicolon, or a period ELSE retain.",
  "when": {
    "all": [
      {
        "path": "sentence.independent_clause_count",
        "operator": "gte",
        "value": 2
      },
      {
        "path": "sentence.valid_boundary_count",
        "operator": "lt",
        "value": 1
      }
    ]
  },
  "then": [
    {
      "action": "insert",
      "target": "sentence.clause_boundary",
      "options": [
        "comma_plus_coordinator",
        "semicolon",
        "period"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "else": [
    {
      "action": "retain",
      "target": "current_text",
      "reason": "No triggering condition is present."
    }
  ],
  "unless": [],
  "because": "Clause boundaries keep propositions from collapsing into a run-on.",
  "diagnostics": [],
  "examples": {},
  "source_ids": [
    "BK-002",
    "WEB-011"
  ],
  "laka": {
    "smallest_sufficient_intervention": true,
    "primary_axes": [
      "scope",
      "depth",
      "magnitude",
      "reversibility"
    ]
  }
}

Other syntax rules

  1. SYN-001 Complete clause for formal prose IF a unit is presented as a formal prose sentence AND lacks an independent clause, THEN attach it, complete it, or label it as a fragment ELSE retain. Hard constraint
  2. SYN-003 Prefer visible actor–action order IF the reader must act or identify responsibility AND no stronger reason favors passive voice, THEN place the actor before the action ELSE retain. Context default
  3. SYN-004 Use passive voice for a reason IF a clause is passive, THEN retain it only when the receiver is the topic, the actor is unknown or irrelevant, blame should be softened, or domain convention requires it ELSE convert to active. Context default
  4. SYN-005 Put conditions before instructions IF an instruction applies only under a condition, THEN state the condition before the imperative ELSE give the action directly. Context default
  5. SYN-006 One principal action per procedural step IF a step contains multiple independently verifiable actions, THEN split them into ordered steps ELSE retain a tightly coupled action. Context default
  6. SYN-007 Limit nested clauses for general audiences IF clause nesting exceeds two levels AND the audience is not expert-only, THEN split or promote a buried clause ELSE retain necessary complexity. Heuristic
  7. SYN-008 Given information before new information IF a sentence introduces new information before the anchor it depends on, THEN reorder from shared context to new contribution ELSE retain a deliberate surprise. Heuristic
  8. SYN-009 End-weight complex material IF a long complex phrase separates subject from verb OR delays the core relation, THEN move that weight later when meaning permits ELSE retain. Heuristic