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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Comma placement: essential or not essential?

Hi. Would you say commas are necessary for the following? I think one needs to put a comma in situations like below if the underlined part is essential to the meaning of the sentence but sometimes it is elusive (at least to me). Help

1. Yesterday, his sister called him, (need a comma??) telling him he needed to get back home as soon as possible.

2. One car had stopped directly in front of the store, (need a comma??) trying to make a left into a hamburger shop.
  

Top answer

The usage of comma in these contexts would be of personal choice. Either way, you are expressing the same idea. But when it comes to conversational English, the comma would differentiate the speaker's feelings.

— Askshameer

  • The usage of comma in these contexts would be of personal choice.
  • Either way, you are expressing the same idea.
  • But when it comes to conversational English, the comma would differentiate the speaker's feelings.
  • As far as written English is concerned, its about to the author's style of writing to decide.
  • /Sameer
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2 Answers
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The usage of comma in these contexts would be of personal choice. Either way, you are expressing the same idea. But when it comes to conversational English, the comma would differentiate the speaker's feelings. As far as written English is concerned, its about to the author's style of writing to decide.

/Sameer
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Thank you. Would you allow me to indulge in my asking this further question?

You wrote:

But when it comes to conversational English, the comma would differentiate the speaker's feelings

I wonder what different effects would be introduced by either putting a comma and not putting a comma in a converstional situation (as you seemed to have been referring to).
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