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Commas, Part 7

NOTE: An independent (or strong) clause is a simple sentence with a subject, verb, and a complete thought. A dependent (or weak) clause has a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.

Rule – Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction—and, or, but, for, nor. You may omit the comma if the clauses are both short.

Examples:
I have painted the entire house, but he is still working on sanding the doors.
I paint and he writes.

Rule – A comma splice is an error caused by joining two independent clauses with only a comma instead of separating the clauses with a conjunction, a semicolon, or a period. A run-on sentence, which is incorrect, is created by joining two strong clauses without any punctuation.

Examples:
Incorrect:
Time flies when we are having fun, we are always having fun. (Comma splice)
Time flies when we are having fun we are always having fun. (Run-on sentence)

Correct:
Time flies when we are having fun; we are always having fun.
OR
Time flies when we are having fun, and we are always having fun. (Comma is optional because both strong clauses are short.)
OR
Time flies when we are having fun. We are always having fun.

 

Pop Quiz
Choose the correct sentence.

1A. Morgan did all of the grocery shopping but all Ralph did was watch the game.
1B. Morgan did all of the grocery shopping, but all Ralph did was watch the game.

2A. Morgan shopped but Ralph watched the game.
2B. Morgan shopped, but Ralph watched the game.

3A. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill, you can see Mt. Diablo from there.
3B. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill you can see Mt. Diablo from there.
3C. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill, and you can see Mt. Diablo from there.
3D. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill; you can see Mt. Diablo from there.

4A. I don’t know whether we’ll get home tonight. We still have a long way to go.
4B. I don’t know whether we’ll get home tonight, for we still have a long way to go.
4C. I don’t know whether we’ll get home tonight we still have a long way to go.

Pop Quiz Answers

1B. Morgan did all of the grocery shopping, but all Ralph did was watch the game.

2A. Morgan shopped but Ralph watched the game. OR
2B. Morgan shopped, but Ralph watched the game.
(You may omit the comma if the clauses are both short.)

3C. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill, and you can see Mt. Diablo from there. OR
3D. Alphonso’s home sits high on the hill; you can see Mt. Diablo from there.
(3A. is a comma splice. 3B. is a run-on sentence.)

4A. I don’t know whether we’ll get home tonight. We still have a long way to go. OR
4B. I don’t know whether we’ll get home tonight, for we still have a long way to go.
(4C. is a run-on sentence.)

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Posted on Monday, January 14th, 2013, at 5:18 pm

Commas, Part 6

Rule – When starting a sentence with a weak clause, use a comma after it. (If the weak clause has three or fewer words, the comma is optional.) Conversely, do not use a comma when the sentence starts with a strong clause followed by a weak clause.

Examples:
If you are not sure about this, let me know now.
Let me know now if you are not sure about this.
On February 14 many couples give each other candy or flowers.
OR
On February 14, many couples give each other candy or flowers.

Rule – Use commas surrounding words such as therefore and however when they are used as interrupters.

Examples:
I would, therefore, like a response.
I would be happy, however, to volunteer for the Red Cross.

 

Pop Quiz
Choose the correct sentence.

1A.Whether my team wins this weekend or not, I will have to go to work on Monday.
1B. Whether my team wins this weekend or not I will have to go to work on Monday.

2A. I will have to go to work on Monday, whether my team wins this weekend or not.
2B. I will have to go to work on Monday whether my team wins this weekend or not.

3A. Beginning tomorrow, I am going to walk a mile every Wednesday.
3B. Beginning tomorrow I am going to walk a mile every Wednesday.

4A. I would be interested however in learning more about commas.
4B. I would be interested, however in learning more about commas.
4C. I would be interested however, in learning more about commas.
4D. I would be interested, however, in learning more about commas.

Pop Quiz Answers

1A.Whether my team wins this weekend or not, I will have to go to work on Monday.

2B. I will have to go to work on Monday whether my team wins this weekend or not.

3A. Beginning tomorrow, I am going to walk a mile every Wednesday. OR
3B. Beginning tomorrow I am going to walk a mile every Wednesday.

4D. I would be interested, however, in learning more about commas.

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Posted on Sunday, January 6th, 2013, at 6:48 pm

Commas, Part 5

Rule – Use a comma to separate the city from the state and after the state in a document. If you use the two-letter capitalized form of a state in a document, you do not need a comma after the state.
Examples:
I lived in Denver, Colorado, for 20 years.
I lived in Denver, CO for 20 years.

NOTE: Writing an address on an envelope should follow US Postal Service guidelines. These guidelines are covered in our blog “Writing Addresses.”

Rule – Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt sentence flow.
Example:
I am, as you have probably noticed, very nervous about this.

 

Pop Quiz

1A. The New England Patriots, have played their home football games in Foxborough, Massachusetts, since 1971.
1B. The New England Patriots have played their home football games in Foxborough, Massachusetts since 1971.
1C. The New England Patriots have played their home football games in Foxborough, Massachusetts, since 1971.
2A. Janet has lived in New Orleans, LA, her entire life.
2B. Janet has lived in New Orleans, LA her entire life.
2C. Janet, has lived in New Orleans, LA, her entire life.

3A. I agreed, although I regretted the decision later, to loan our car to Miriam.
3B. I agreed although I regretted the decision later, to loan our car to Miriam.
3C. I agreed although I regretted the decision later to loan our car to Miriam.

 

Pop Quiz Answers
1C. The New England Patriots have played their home football games in Foxborough, Massachusetts, since 1971.
2B. Janet has lived in New Orleans, LA her entire life.
NOTE: Answer “2A. Janet has lived in New Orleans, LA, her entire life” also is acceptable, but the comma following LA is not required.
3A. I agreed, although I regretted the decision later, to loan our car to Miriam.

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Posted on Sunday, December 16th, 2012, at 3:27 pm

Commas, Part 4

Rule – Use commas to set off the name or title of a person directly addressed.
Examples:
Will you, Aisha, do that assignment for me?
Yes, Doctor, I will. NOTE: Capitalize a title when directly addressing someone.
Joshua, please remember to buy lettuce.
Please remember to buy lettuce, Joshua.

Rule – Use commas to surround degrees or titles used with names. Commas are no longer required around Jr. and Sr. Commas never set off II, III, and so forth.
Example:
Al Mooney, MD, knew Sam Sunny Jr. and Charles Starr III.

Pop Quiz
1A. The defendant has accused you Mr. Dempsey of trying to steal his credit card.
1B. The defendant has accused you, Mr. Dempsey of trying to steal his credit card.
1C. The defendant has accused you, Mr. Dempsey, of trying to steal his credit card.

2A. The injury to Robert Griffin III does not appear to be serious.
2B. The injury to Robert Griffin, III does not appear to be serious.
2C. The injury to Robert Griffin, III, does not appear to be serious.

3A. I am sorry professor that my paper is late.
3B. I am sorry, Professor, that my paper is late.
3C. I am sorry, professor, that my paper is late.

4A. Grover Washington Jr. has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello DDS.
4B. Grover Washington, Jr. has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello, DDS.
4C. Grover Washington, Jr., has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello, DDS.
4D. Grover Washington Jr. has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello, DDS.

Pop Quiz Answers
1C. The defendant has accused you, Mr. Dempsey, of trying to steal his credit card.
2A. The injury to Robert Griffin III does not appear to be serious.
3B. I am sorry, Professor, that my paper is late.
4D. Grover Washington Jr. has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello, DDS.
NOTE: Answer “4C. Grover Washington, Jr., has an appointment today with Orin Scrivello, DDS,” also is acceptable but the commas surrounding Jr. are no longer required.

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Posted on Tuesday, December 11th, 2012, at 3:25 pm

Stubborn Stinkaroos

This election year’s political dialogue has divided the country into the obscenely ultra-rich one percent and the ninety-nine percent who comprise the poor, the shrinking middle class and the, I guess you could say, tastefully affluent.

Compare that with the literary one-percenters, a mulish minority of nitpickers who believe “proper” speaking and writing preserve English’s power and beauty. Most other people by contrast are unapologetically indifferent, and tend to dismiss these sticklers as socially challenged nerds and snobs.

When government policies seem to court and coddle the wealthiest one percent, populists call it a violation and betrayal of American principles.

Not so in the world of letters, where the best writers write for the one-percenters — and why not? Who better to appreciate your writing than those who study and cherish English? Besides, it’s not a class thing. Language aficionados come from all walks of life.

America has always been enamored of its rebels and mavericks — and ambivalent toward those who follow the rules. But rules and laws are the distillation of hard lessons learned by our forebears. Rules wouldn’t exist if this flawed species didn’t need them.

When grammarians say a sentence is “right” or “wrong” they mean it adheres to or defies rules that have endured through the years and proved time and again to be the straightest path to the truth.

The following is a list of bad choices that you see and hear all the time. They’re not major blunders, but they’re misguided in a way that can compromise serious discourse.

Utilize All the way back in the 1940s George Orwell blew the whistle on this pretentious word. Orwell advised writers to get over themselves and go with “use.” But use is so humble, so mundane, whereas utilize really sounds like something. Bureaucrats in particular love to use “utilize.”

Fulsome Many people take fulsome to mean “abundant” or “lavish.” But be wary of writing the likes of “He received a fulsome tribute” or “Please accept my fulsome apology.” The word actually means something darker: “excessive,” “fawning,” even “disgusting.”

Youth There aren’t many synonyms for children. After kids, young people, and youngsters, the pickings get slim, especially if you eschew cutesy-poo. So, rejecting non-options like little ones, tykes, and tots, many writers eventually come around to youth. Trouble is, youth is singular; it’s cheesy to say, “Youth today are facing new challenges.” The obvious fix is “youths today,” even though a lot of scribes think “youths” is clunky.

Cliché It’s a noun, not an adjective. Yet more and more you hear things like, “I know it sounds cliché, but …” There’s an easy remedy: just add “like a”: “I know it sounds like a cliché.” What’s so hard about adding two painless syllables? You’ll make a word nerd’s day.

Pop Quiz
Choose the correct or preferred sentence.

1A. We enjoyed a fulsome feast at Aunt Rose’s house for Thanksgiving.
1B. We enjoyed a lavish feast at Aunt Rose’s house for Thanksgiving.

2A. I don’t know how to use even half of the functions available on my smart phone.
2B. I don’t know how to utilize even half of the functions available on my smart phone.

3A. Sorry, Joe, this may sound cliché, but right now two’s company and three’s a crowd.
3B. Sorry, Joe, this may sound like a cliché, but right now two’s company and three’s a crowd.

4A. Do you think today’s youth read less than their counterparts of twenty years ago?
4B. Do you think today’s youths read less than their counterparts of twenty years ago?

Pop Quiz Answers

1B. We enjoyed a lavish feast at Aunt Rose’s house for Thanksgiving.
2A. I don’t know how to use even half of the functions available on my smart phone.
3B. Sorry, Joe, this may sound like a cliché, but right now two’s company and three’s a crowd.
4B. Do you think today’s youths read less than their counterparts of twenty years ago?

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Posted on Saturday, November 24th, 2012, at 12:52 pm

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