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Navitasan Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Comma

I have a problem with the first part of this sentence:

1-He was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq from 2003 to 2009, and acted as a special assistant to five U.S. ambassadors and as a senior adviser to three heads of U.S. Central Command.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khedery
I think the intended meaning is:
a-He served from 2003 to 2009 and was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.

However, I think what the sentence is actually saying is:
b-In the period from 2003 to 2009, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq. Among those who served in that period, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.

Would a comma after 'Iraq' in '1' solve the problem?

Gratefully,
Navi
  

Top answer

navitasan I think the intended meaning is:a-He served from 2003 to 2009 and was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq. Yes. navitasan However, I think what the sentence is actually saying is: b-In the period from 2003 to 2009, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.

— Mister Micawber

  • navitasan I think the intended meaning is:a-He served from 2003 to 2009 and was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.
  • Yes.
  • navitasan However, I think what the sentence is actually saying is: b-In the period from 2003 to 2009, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.
  • Among those who served in that period, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.
  • The writer relies on the reader's common sense.
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1 Answers
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navitasanI think the intended meaning is:a-He served from 2003 to 2009 and was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq.
Yes.
navitasanHowever, I think what the sentence is actually saying is: b-In the period from 2003 to 2009, he was the longest continuously serving American official in Iraq. Among those who served in
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