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Fire1 Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

Could a comma make the meaning of a sentence change?

?1. I was watching him sitting on the bench.

This normally implies "I was watching him and he was sitting on the bench", but what would the sentence imply if there is a comma between him and sitting as below?

2. I was watching him, sitting on the bench.

Does this one imply "I was watching him and I was sitting on the bench"?

  

Top answer

A thousand commas would not help. That is just bad writing in either form. Find a different way to say what you mean.

  • A thousand commas would not help.
  • That is just bad writing in either form.
  • Find a different way to say what you mean.
  • Use more words.
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2 Answers
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A thousand commas would not help. That is just bad writing in either form. Find a different way to say what you mean. Use more words.

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It's a good question. I don't know the answer but If I read it like that, I also wouldn't know who was setting on the bench you or him.

I can make your sentence clearer without needing to use a comma or even "and", and that's by saying:

"I was watching him while he was sitting on the bench."

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