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Ducks1160 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Comma Confusions
Summer pinned the fish to the ground, using both hands, so it couldn’t slither away.
I believe this sentence has too many commas. So is a conjunction, thus crying out for a comma to come before it. Using both hands, however, is a mystery to me. I don't see it fulfilling the roll of either a noun or an adjective (gerund or participle), so what is it, and how should this sentence be punctuated.
I would like to leave all the commas out as the sentence seems perfectly understandable without them.
I believe this sentence has too many commas. So is a conjunction, thus crying out for a comma to come before it. Using both hands, however, is a mystery to me. I don't see it fulfilling the roll of either a noun or an adjective (gerund or participle), so what is it, and how should this sentence be punctuated.
I would like to leave all the commas out as the sentence seems perfectly understandable without them.
Top answer
Summer pinned the fish to the ground , using both hands, so it couldn't slither away. A comma is needed after 'ground', otherwise it would appear that the ground is using both hands. The comma makes it clear that Summer used his hands to pin the fish to the gournd.
- Summer pinned the fish to the ground , using both hands, so it couldn't slither away.
- A comma is needed after 'ground', otherwise it would appear that the ground is using both hands.
- The comma makes it clear that Summer used his hands to pin the fish to the gournd.
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2 Answers
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Summer pinned the fish to the ground, using both hands, so it couldn't slither away.
A comma is needed after 'ground', otherwise it would appear that the ground is using both hands. The comma makes it clear that Summer used his hands to pin the fish to the gournd.
A comma is needed after 'ground', otherwise it would appear that the ground is using both hands. The comma makes it clear that Summer used his hands to pin the fish to the gournd.
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As an extra comment: When we have a part of a sentence that isn't grammatically necessary, we separate it from the rest with commas. Telling us that she used both hands is extra information, telling us how she pinned the fish. You can remove it and have a complete sentence. Therefore, the comma on either side is right.
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