Comma before "before" or "with a smile"
When, if ever, is there a need to put a comma after he/she said and in front of "before..." or "with a smile"? For example:
"What a night," Shelia said, before disappearing into the crowd.
"That was delicious," Shelia said, with a smile.
Are either of those commas after said ever necessary? I see it done differently all of the time and can't get a clear understanding of why/when.
Top answer
anonymous comma after he/she said It's optional, and if used it acts somewhat like a dash. That is, "she said with a smile" puts the saying and the smile together as a unit, but "she said, with a smile" really says only that she said it, and then adds a "by the way" remark that she smiled at the time. So if you want to give the impression that a phrase is like an afterthought or that it contains information that is not closely connected to the act of saying, but is more like a separate action of its own, use the comma.
- anonymous comma after he/she said It's optional, and if used it acts somewhat like a dash.
- That is, "she said with a smile" puts the saying and the smile together as a unit, but "she said, with a smile" really says only that she said it, and then adds a "by the way" remark that she smiled at the time.
- So if you want to give the impression that a phrase is like an afterthought or that it contains information that is not closely connected to the act of saying, but is more like a separate action of its own, use the comma.
- This is all a matter of style, not grammar.
- CJ
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anonymouscomma after he/she said
It's optional, and if used it acts somewhat like a dash.
That is, "she said with a smile" puts the saying and the smile together as a unit, but "she said, with a smile" really says only that she said it, and then adds a "by the way" remark that she smiled at the time.
So if you want to give the impression that a
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