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Scribbler Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Does changing "a" to "the" affect comma usage?
Hi everyone. Please help me figure this out. In this sentence:
FBI spokesperson Michael Kortan was quoted in the February 17, 2008 New York Times article "F.B.I. Received Unauthorized E-Mail Access."
Should there be a comma after the word "article"? Why?
What about this version of the sentence - should there be a comma after "article"? Why?
FBI spokesperson Michael Kortan was quoted in a February 17, 2008 New York Times article, "F.B.I. Received Unauthorized E-Mail Access."
FBI spokesperson Michael Kortan was quoted in the February 17, 2008 New York Times article "F.B.I. Received Unauthorized E-Mail Access."
Should there be a comma after the word "article"? Why?
What about this version of the sentence - should there be a comma after "article"? Why?
FBI spokesperson Michael Kortan was quoted in a February 17, 2008 New York Times article, "F.B.I. Received Unauthorized E-Mail Access."
Top answer
There was more than one article in the Times on February 17. With "the," the title of the article says which of the many articles you mean, so the comma should not be there - it's restrictive. In the second example, you refer only to "a(n)" article - one of many - and the title of it is giving you additional information, an appostive, so the commma is appropriate.
- There was more than one article in the Times on February 17.
- With "the," the title of the article says which of the many articles you mean, so the comma should not be there - it's restrictive.
- In the second example, you refer only to "a(n)" article - one of many - and the title of it is giving you additional information, an appostive, so the commma is appropriate.
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2 Answers
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There was more than one article in the Times on February 17. With "the," the title of the article says which of the many articles you mean, so the comma should not be there - it's restrictive.
In the second example, you refer only to "a(n)" article - one of many - and the title of it is giving you additional information, an appostive, so the commma is appropriate.
In the second example, you refer only to "a(n)" article - one of many - and the title of it is giving you additional information, an appostive, so the commma is appropriate.
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