Comma usage for implied subject?

Question

I have some sentences that are navigation instructions to the reader. There are composed of multiple clauses with an implied subject of "you."
Here is an example:
Go one mile to Main Street and turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles and turn at the first gravel road to the right.

Should I use comma before "and" in the above sentences? If yes, the sentences would be:
Go one mile to Main Street, and turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles, and turn at the first gravel road to the right.
PaulF

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I have some sentences that are navigation instructions to the reader. There are composed of multiple clauses with an implied ... turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles, and turn at the first gravel road to the right. PaulF[/nq]
Commas would add nothing to the comprehensibility so leave them out. You might want to decide which way you want your reader to turn at the first gravel road to the right though!

Usenet · Answer

On 4 Jan 2007 16:38:15 -0800, "Flying Tortoise"
[nq:2]I have some sentences that are navigation instructions to the ... turn at the first gravel road to the right. PaulF[/nq]
[nq:1]Commas would add nothing to the comprehensibility so leave them out. You might want to decide which way you want your reader to turn at the first gravel road to the right though![/nq]
I think the whole thing needs to be rewritten.
"Go one mile to Main Street,"
OK, I can do that.
"and turn left at South Street."
Where'd South Street come from? I was at Main Street. Do I need to turn on Main Street to get to South Street? If so, which way? Or does South Street come after Main Street if I don't turn? Does it come just before Main Street? Or maybe this is one of those weird streets that's MAin Street in one direction from the intersection and South Street in the other direction?
"Continue for two miles..."
Again, fairly straightforward and unconfusing.
"and turn at the first gravel road to the right."
Am I going to go two miles before the first gravel road to the right appears? or am I to turn on the first gravel road to the right following the two mile mark, and disregard the other ten that I passed before I had completed two miles? Am I to take the first ~~gravel road~~ and turn right on it even though it goes in both directions, or am I to hold out for the first gravel road that only goes to the right?
Making some assumptions, they'd be much better directions if they went "Go on one mile; that puts you at the corner of Main Street. One block past Main Street on this road is South Street. Turn left at South Street. Stay on South Street for two miles. Once you've passed the two-mile mark, turn right on the first gravel road you come to."

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Usenet · Answer

I agree that it should be rewritten. It was a poorly constructed example.
If the sentence is:
"Cross the George Mason Bridge and continue 5.7 miles to the T intersection."
Should a comma be placed after Bridge?
PaulF

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I agree that it should be rewritten. It was a poorly constructed example. If the sentence is: "Cross the George Mason Bridge and continue 5.7 miles to the T intersection." Should a comma be placed after Bridge? PaulF[/nq]
I wouldn't.
But I tend to not use compound sentences when giving directions if I can possibly avoid it, so I'd break it into two sentences.
[nq:2]I think the whole thing needs to be rewritten. "Go ... turn right on the first gravel road you come to."[/nq]
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These kind of directions would not be what my wife would give or follow. Her directions would be:

Go to that street where there's a Publix on one corner and a JoAnne's Fabric shop on the other.

Turn left at the Walgreen's

Keep going until you see that vegetable stand that has the good peaches.

Turn right at that cream-colored house with the green trim and those horrible red curtains. Watch out for that yellow dog that comes out and chases the car.

Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]These kind of directions would not be what my wife would give or follow. Her directions would be: Go to ... green trim and those horrible red curtains. Watch out for that yellow dog that comes out and chases the car.[/nq]
Those work too, assumong that you know which veggie stand has the good peaches...
I'm rather sensitive about the directions I get, ever since the episode involving "the third stoplight," the Mobile River delta, weird clothes, and a car with a half-empty gas tank at dusk.

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[nq:1]I agree that it should be rewritten. It was a poorly constructed example. If the sentence is: "Cross the George Mason Bridge and continue 5.7 miles to the T intersection." Should a comma be placed after Bridge? PaulF[/nq]
If you think of you sentence as a list, you only have two items. The comma is optional. However, since you already have the word "and," it is certainly sufficient.

Yours,
Dan S.
Temporary sig pending inspiration:
- If I did all the things that will "only" take {X} minutes per day, it would take three days to do them all.>

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I have some sentences that are navigation instructions to the reader. There are composed of multiple clauses with an implied ... turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles, and turn at the first gravel road to the right. PaulF[/nq]
My personal preference is ..
Go one mile to Main Street. Turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles and turn at the first gravel road to the right.

Francis Cameron

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I have some sentences that are navigation instructions to the reader. There are composed of multiple clauses with an implied ... turn left at South Street. Continue for two miles, and turn at the first gravel road to the right. PaulF[/nq]
I have always gone by the general rule that fewer commas are better. After writing a long paragraph, I often re-read it to find that I have used far too many commas; more commas than necessary to maintain the meaning.
I typically eliminate a comma if reading the sentence without it seems to have no additional meaning or useful nuance. I realize that's a somewhat vague description, but it's only as vague as English usage...

In your examples, I don't feel that commas are necessary for comprehension. Why are you grouping "go one mile to Main Street" with "turn left at South Street," but then starting a new sentence for "Continue for two miles...?"
If it had been phrased, "On Main Street, turn left onto South Street after one mile," you wouldn't be able to split that up without rephrasing it, however, as written, perhaps it should be three sentences.

Aaron
http://www.fisheyegallery.com
http://www.singleservingphoto.com

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I agree that it should be rewritten. It was a poorly constructed example. If the sentence is: "Cross the George Mason Bridge and continue 5.7 miles to the T intersection." Should a comma be placed after Bridge?[/nq]
No, because it is a simple sentence with a compound predicate of two parts.
Bill
Reverse halves of the user name for my e-address

Comma usage for implied subject?

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