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FluentButNoPro Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

...... comma after a dashed-phrase correct english?

0Would it be grammatically incorrect to use a comma after a dash? Here is an example:02br
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00"If you are looking for someone who is willing to take on the challeges to overcome obstacles — in order to provide top-notch client satisfaction —00,00 then I believe that she has what it takes to do just that. "02br
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00In this case, the phrase " 01i00in order to provide top-notch client satisfaction02i00" was separated with dashes within the sentence because it is an "abrupt interruption". 02br
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00Now the reason for having the comma, after the abrupt interruptional phrase, is because the phrase "01i00If you are looking for someone who is willing to take on the challeges to overcome obstacles02i00" is an introductory phrase.02br
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00Any clarifications and/or corrections would be greatly appreciated.02br
00 0-
  

Top answer

02br 02br 00But I also don't believe your dashes belong there either. It is not an abrupt interruption, but makes perfect sense within the flow of the setence, and neither is it parenthetical information. 02br 02br 00You could also write this: "If you are looking for someone who will provide top-notch client satisfaction by taking on all challeges to overcoming obstacles, then that she has what it takes to do just that.

— BarbaraPA

  • 02br 02br 00But I also don't believe your dashes belong there either.
  • It is not an abrupt interruption, but makes perfect sense within the flow of the setence, and neither is it parenthetical information.
  • 02br 02br 00You could also write this: "If you are looking for someone who will provide top-notch client satisfaction by taking on all challeges to overcoming obstacles, then that she has what it takes to do just that.
  • "02br 02br 00For future reference, if you post anonymously, it will take a bit to show up, so if you repost after logging in, you have in fact created two threads.
  • (And if you post twice as anonymous, you actually create three threads, but we'll let that be our little secret.
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15 Answers
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0Hello FBNP, and welcome to the forums.02br
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00No, this is very awkward.02br
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00But I also don't believe your dashes belong there either. It is not an abrupt interruption, but makes perfect sense within the flow of the setence, and neither is it parenthetical information. So remove the dashes and keep the comma.02br
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00You c
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0I thought the comma after the dash looked funny. 05002br
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00Thanks a bunch GG! I appreaciate your contribution.02br
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00So is it incorrect to use a comma after a dash in any case (excluding the example that I had provided)?010id1
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0I hate to say "never" and "always," but I can't think of a single example in which a comma after a dash is the right way to go.0-
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite12br
10You could also write this: "If you are looking for someone who will provide top-notch client satisfaction by taking on all challeges to overcoming obstacles, then 10 she has what it takes to do just that. "12br
12blockquote
10I forgot to mention that the reason as
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Grammar Geek12cite10You could also write this: "If you are looking for someone who will provide top-notch client satisfaction by taking on all challeges to 10overcoming10 obstacles, then that she has what it takes to do just that. "12br
12blockquote
10You did mean to write "overcome" instead
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0 A reply from GG or anyone else would be appreciated. Thanks. 0-
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0Oh yes, you're completely correct. I was going to say "and overcoming" but changed my mind - apparently my finger kept on going with my original thought.02br
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00You could say "in my experience" instead of "I believe," maybe? 0-
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Here is an example:

"Having received the attention of five forums and no less than twenty judges - consider the enormity of the thought -, the judgment in Smith v Smith promised to be a testament to the legal engine and rule of law."

Is it not a question of style (as opposed to grammatical correctness)?
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 It's awful. Many issues of punctuation are style. This one is terrible. If the author wanted to add that parenthetical comment, the parantheses are the way to go.
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"Any punctuation that normally would have been used in the sentence if the dashes and the material they enclose were not there should appear.
  • Paul looked at his watch—the one that she gave him—; he was going to be late.
  • (Paul looked at his watch; he was going to be late.)" -http://w
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