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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
By and large
Hi,
Does one require a comma before by and large: By and large, it doesn't rain here. It doesn't rain here, by and large. (is this correct?)
b) Can one say: Truth be told, I was not sure about it myself. (in informal context, can one simply say truth be told).
C) They had so much in common, which was likely why they were friends for a long time. (can we use 'which was likely why' in this way? Is it the same as 'possibly why'?)
Thanks,
Does one require a comma before by and large: By and large, it doesn't rain here. It doesn't rain here, by and large. (is this correct?)
b) Can one say: Truth be told, I was not sure about it myself. (in informal context, can one simply say truth be told).
C) They had so much in common, which was likely why they were friends for a long time. (can we use 'which was likely why' in this way? Is it the same as 'possibly why'?)
Thanks,
Top answer
" Are you asking if the expression should only be used informally? I don't consider "by and large" or "truth be told" lower register, but they're a bit stuffy. "Which was likely why" is okay to my ear, but I think "possibly why" is more common, as you suspect.
- " Are you asking if the expression should only be used informally?
- I don't consider "by and large" or "truth be told" lower register, but they're a bit stuffy.
- "Which was likely why" is okay to my ear, but I think "possibly why" is more common, as you suspect.
- " I believe "possibly" and "likely" function the same way here from a grammatical point of view.
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3 Answers
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Yes, I would set off "by and large," and "truth be told."
I don't understand your question about "informal context." Are you asking if the expression should only be used informally? I don't consider "by and large" or "truth be told" lower register, but they're a bit stuffy.
"Which was likely why" is okay to my ear, but I think "possibly why" is more common, as you suspect.
I don't understand your question about "informal context." Are you asking if the expression should only be used informally? I don't consider "by and large" or "truth be told" lower register, but they're a bit stuffy.
"Which was likely why" is okay to my ear, but I think "possibly why" is more common, as you suspect.
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Thanks, Avangi. But is the comma necessary if it is the other way around? It was a nice place, by and large. Is a comma before by and large necessary? I told 'truth be told' was informal in conversations: Truth be told, it was scary. And something like that.
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The trend these days is to use less punctuation. I'm old and I tend to overpunctuate. If I think a comma will make the sentence clear, I don't hesitate to use it.
I think the voice would naturally fall before or after the expression, and I'd use the comma in both cases.
I take "truth be told" as register neutral. Others may disagree. You could certainly use it while telling a sca
I think the voice would naturally fall before or after the expression, and I'd use the comma in both cases.
I take "truth be told" as register neutral. Others may disagree. You could certainly use it while telling a sca
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