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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Comma before adverbial phrase dependent upon distance and possibility for confusion?
Hi. Please tell me if what I have said is true or not. Thank you in advance for your help.
I think an adverbial phrases like the ones underlined should have a comma in front if it is somewhat far from the object (or a word or phrase or perhaps clause) it is referring to or if not having it can cause confusion as to what it is referring to.
For this, I think having a comma in front of the underlined part is incorrect.
John Doe goes school near his home carrying his school bag almost every morning.
I think, for this, a comma in front of the part underlined (before the word "holding") is correct since not having the comma there could make the reader wonder, at least momentarily, whether the underlined part is referring to "money," although it would be illogical to think it is "money" that is holding the large box with a big opening at the top.
John Does sees a beggar soliciting for money, holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top.
I think an adverbial phrases like the ones underlined should have a comma in front if it is somewhat far from the object (or a word or phrase or perhaps clause) it is referring to or if not having it can cause confusion as to what it is referring to.
For this, I think having a comma in front of the underlined part is incorrect.
John Doe goes school near his home carrying his school bag almost every morning.
I think, for this, a comma in front of the part underlined (before the word "holding") is correct since not having the comma there could make the reader wonder, at least momentarily, whether the underlined part is referring to "money," although it would be illogical to think it is "money" that is holding the large box with a big opening at the top.
John Does sees a beggar soliciting for money, holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top.
Top answer
I would move some words around: John Doe, carrying his school bag, goes to school near his home almost every morning. or Carrying his school bag, John Doe goes to school near his home almost every morning. and John Does sees a beggar who is holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top, soliciting for money.
- I would move some words around: John Doe, carrying his school bag, goes to school near his home almost every morning.
- or Carrying his school bag, John Doe goes to school near his home almost every morning.
- and John Does sees a beggar who is holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top, soliciting for money.
- This one is a bit tricky!
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2 Answers
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I would move some words around:
John Doe, carrying his school bag, goes to school near his home almost every morning.
or
Carrying his school bag, John Doe goes to school near his home almost every morning.
and
John Does sees a beggar who is holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top, soliciting for money.
John Doe, carrying his school bag, goes to school near his home almost every morning.
or
Carrying his school bag, John Doe goes to school near his home almost every morning.
and
John Does sees a beggar who is holding a large paper box with a big opening at the top, soliciting for money.
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AnonymousJohn Doe goes school near his home carrying his school bag almost every morning.This is a wrong construction. Participle clause modifies the preceeding noun which is not the case with you example.
It should be: John Doe, carrying his school bag almost every morning, goes sch
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