A comma

Question

He went to the gym every day, driven purely by narcissism.What is the use of the comma in the above?It was written by a native English speaker; so it should be correct.I would write without the comma. For me, it has no meaning.

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

Rotter
He went to the gym every day, driven purely by narcissism.

"Driven purely by narcissism" is a past participle clause which is adverbial, modifying the main clause.

RotterI would write without the comma. For me, it has no meaning.

Not so, a comma is needed.

Rotter · Answer

1.Thanks dimsumexpress for the reply.

I have some difficulty digesting your reply. It is a short phrase; does it need a comma?

Could you comment on the following sentences?

2.I met dimsumexress on Wednesday.

[ I believe 'on Wednesday' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.]

3.I met dimsumexprss on my way to the gym.

[ I believe 'on my way to the gym' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.]

4.I train 3 times a week at the gym in order not to get diseases like diabetes and high-blood pressure.

[ I believe the words ' in order not to get diseases like diabetes and high-blood pressure' represent an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.]

One of my friends died of a stroke; he was suffering from high-blood pressure. He was 64.

I attended his funeral some weeks ago.

5.If he had been trained regularly like me I believe the death could have been avoided.

[ I believe the words 'If he had been trained regularly like me' represent an adverbial phrase and a comma is optional because it is a short phrase.]

6.Wherever there are beautiful girls Rotter is also hanging around there.

I believe the phrase 'Wherever there are beautiful girls' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is optional.]

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Ahhh! very clever dialog!

Rotter1.Thanks dimsumexpress for the reply.
I have some difficulty digesting your reply. It is a short phrase; does it need a comma?

Could you comment on the following sentences?

2.I met dimsumexress on Wednesday.
[ I believe 'on Wednesday' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.] Fine (to me)

3.I met dimsumexprss on my way to the gym.
[ I believe 'on my way to the gym' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.] Fine

4.I train 3 times a week at the gym in order not to get diseases like diabetes and high-blood pressure.
[ I believe the words ' in order not to get diseases like diabetes and high-blood pressure' represent an adverbial phrase and a comma is not necessary.]
I don't see it as adverbial. The prep Phrase: in order to -is the formation of a dependent clause.

One of my friends died of a stroke; he was suffering from high-blood pressure. He was 64.
I attended his funeral some weeks ago.

I would write it this way to eliminate the semicolon (or comma): One of my friends who was suffering from high-blood pressure died of a stroke. He was 64......

5.If he had been trained regularly like me I believe the death could have been avoided.
[ I believe the words 'If he had been trained regularly like me' represent an adverbial phrase and a comma is optional because it is a short phrase.] Again, "if" clauses are dependent, or subordinate clauses, not adverbial.

6.Wherever there are beautiful girls Rotter is also hanging around there. This is also a dependent clause.
I believe the phrase 'Wherever there are beautiful girls' is an adverbial phrase and a comma is optional.]

Hope my answers are more digestable this time

Rotter · Answer

Thanks dimsumexpress.

Of course it is digestible.

However, I have difficulty distinguishing the phrases of adverbial phrases and dependent clauses.

By the way, an adverbial clause is a dependent clause that function as an adverb.

Am I wrong?

You've told me some of clauses I wrote are dependent clauses.

I wonder why you failed to recognize them as adverbial clauses.

I saw dimsumexpress when I went to the gym yesterday.

[ The words 'when I went to the gym yesterday' constitiutes a dependent clause.]

By virtue of dependency it automatically qualifies as an adverb, I think.

I would like to hear from you again.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

RotterBy the way, an adverbial clause is a dependent clause that function as an adverb.
Am I wrong?

RotterI wonder why you failed to recognize them as adverbial clauses.
I saw dimsumexpress when I went to the gym yesterday.
[ The words 'when I went to the gym yesterday' constitiutes a dependent clause.] This is correct. What does it have to do with my presumed failure to recognize adverbial which in fact was the oppoiste.
By virtue of dependency it automatically qualifies as an adverb, I think.
I am afraid, you have to do some reviewing on the adverbials and types of clauses.

Adverbial are fragmented sentence: I ran into Rotter today while getting a cup of coffee at Starbuck. Adverbials do not have all the elements a main clause has. The underlined is an adverbial which adds more information to the main clause. Adverbial is a collective name for phrases which modify or functions as a reduced clause. It can be participle or prepositional in nature.

I didn't recognize Rotter because he grew a beard. The underlined is a subordinate clause.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/grammar/conjunctions/subordinating-conjunctions.html

A comma

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions