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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
comma accuracy in this sentence
Dear grammar gurus,
I came across this by revered literary critic Harold Bloom:
Can more than 35 million book buyers, and their offspring, be wrong? Yes, they have been, and will continue to be for as long as they persevere with Potter.
In the second sentence, "Yes, they have been, and will...." the comma before the "and" is technically incorrect, as "will continue to be..." is not an independent clause. The thing is, to my eyes, without the comma, this sentence reads very awkwardly.
Is there any kind of grammatical justification for putting a comma before the "and" here, other that "without it it reads badly" ?
I came across this by revered literary critic Harold Bloom:
Can more than 35 million book buyers, and their offspring, be wrong? Yes, they have been, and will continue to be for as long as they persevere with Potter.
In the second sentence, "Yes, they have been, and will...." the comma before the "and" is technically incorrect, as "will continue to be..." is not an independent clause. The thing is, to my eyes, without the comma, this sentence reads very awkwardly.
Is there any kind of grammatical justification for putting a comma before the "and" here, other that "without it it reads badly" ?
Top answer
' He put a comma after 'they have been' because he wanted the reader to pause there for an instant and absorb what has just been said before continuing. I think he would say that such 'rules' are more to be interpreted as guidelines for people who are not yet fully adept with the use of the English language. But, of course, I can't really speak for him.
- ' He put a comma after 'they have been' because he wanted the reader to pause there for an instant and absorb what has just been said before continuing.
- I think he would say that such 'rules' are more to be interpreted as guidelines for people who are not yet fully adept with the use of the English language.
- But, of course, I can't really speak for him.
- I'm guessing.
- Clive
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3 Answers
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Hi,
I'd say that Harold Bloom was concerned about how he wanted his exact meaning to be understood by the reader, and unconcerned about such 'rules.' He put a comma after 'they have been' because he wanted the reader to pause there for an instant and absorb what has just been said before continuing.
I'd say that Harold Bloom was concerned about how he wanted his exact meaning to be understood by the reader, and unconcerned about such 'rules.' He put a comma after 'they have been' because he wanted the reader to pause there for an instant and absorb what has just been said before continuing.
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Thanks Clive,
I've also found this which might also go some way to explaining it:
9. As a general rule, do not use a comma to separate the parts of a double predicate, unless the sentence would be confusing without it, or the second part of the double predicate requires special emphasis.
(from:
I've also found this which might also go some way to explaining it:
9. As a general rule, do not use a comma to separate the parts of a double predicate, unless the sentence would be confusing without it, or the second part of the double predicate requires special emphasis.
(from:
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Hi,
Yes, after the simple first part of the sentence, the second part just floods over the reader. In my opinion.
Thanks for finding the quote.
Clive
Yes, after the simple first part of the sentence, the second part just floods over the reader. In my opinion.
Thanks for finding the quote.
Clive
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