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Grammarshammer Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Comma or no comma?

"I hope you're not feeling too bad," he said happily[,] when he caught her eye.

The comma in the brackets is the comma in question.
  

Top answer

I wouldn't use it. No, I changed my mind; I'd use it because the source of the happiness is otherwise somewhat confused.

— Mister Micawber

  • I wouldn't use it.
  • No, I changed my mind; I'd use it because the source of the happiness is otherwise somewhat confused.
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5 Answers
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I wouldn't use it.

No, I changed my mind; I'd use it because the source of the happiness is otherwise somewhat confused.
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Sorry, I'm not following. Could you please explain?
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Well, if the 'happily' were not there, I would elide the comma in an instant. With 'happily', however, and no comma, I don't know for sure whether it refers to 'saying happily' or to his, by serendipity (happily = 'in an unexpectedly lucky way'), making his presence known to her.
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Hmm. Would anybody else like to chime in. I think that one would have to completely rework the sentence to get the second meaning that you suggest, Microfdofs.
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