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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
A question about comma usage (conjunction followed by an interrupter)
Hi all,
I had a question concerning comma usage when a conjunction is followed by an interrupter. It was my understanding that placing commas after conjunctions is incorrect even if the conjunction is followed by an interrupter, but I am now being told to use them.
For example:
John had been told that pigs could fly, but, in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and, excluding the ones listed below, he knew this to be correct.
I would have written these sentences without placing the comma after the conjunction:
John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and excluding the ones listed below, he knew this to be correct.
Which one is correct?
Thank you very much.
I had a question concerning comma usage when a conjunction is followed by an interrupter. It was my understanding that placing commas after conjunctions is incorrect even if the conjunction is followed by an interrupter, but I am now being told to use them.
For example:
John had been told that pigs could fly, but, in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and, excluding the ones listed below, he knew this to be correct.
I would have written these sentences without placing the comma after the conjunction:
John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and excluding the ones listed below, he knew this to be correct.
Which one is correct?
Thank you very much.
Top answer
The problem is that too many commas impede the flow of words and ideas, so that the extra comma is often omitted in short combinations. It is a style decision rather than a matter of 'correctness'. I suggest: John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
- The problem is that too many commas impede the flow of words and ideas, so that the extra comma is often omitted in short combinations.
- It is a style decision rather than a matter of 'correctness'.
- I suggest: John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
- John had been told that birds could fly, and excluding the ones listed below, he knew this to be correct.
- So your intuition at least matches mine.
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5 Answers
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The problem is that too many commas impede the flow of words and ideas, so that the extra comma is often omitted in short combinations. It is a style decision rather than a matter of 'correctness'. I suggest:
John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and excluding the ones listed below, he knew t
John had been told that pigs could fly, but in his opinion, this was incorrect.
John had been told that birds could fly, and excluding the ones listed below, he knew t
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Many thanks for your input. After literally hours of googling, I think I may have found my answer here:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs3/grammarlogs410.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/grammarlogs3/grammarlogs410.htm
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Just as a supplement, I found the reference online:
http://www.cs.vu.nl/~jms/doc/elos.pdf
(no mention of copyright anywhere)
If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the ?rst comma before the conjunction, not after it.
"He saw us coming, and unaware that we had l
http://www.cs.vu.nl/~jms/doc/elos.pdf
(no mention of copyright anywhere)
If a parenthetic expression is preceded by a conjunction, place the ?rst comma before the conjunction, not after it.
"He saw us coming, and unaware that we had l
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I became sick at that dinner party, and, therefore, I will avoid such forays into the social world in the future.
I would simply write this sentence thus.
I became sick at that dinner party, and therefore I will avoid such forays into the social world in the future.
I d
I would simply write this sentence thus.
I became sick at that dinner party, and therefore I will avoid such forays into the social world in the future.
I d
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This makes sense to me! I think we often use too many commas which, as Mr. M says:
Mister Micawber:
The problem is that too many commas impede the flow of words and ideas,
Mister Micawber:
The problem is that too many commas impede the flow of words and ideas,
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