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Snarf Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Except Comma

Normally, he did not give how he dressed much thought. Except today he wanted to look his best.

Should there be a comma after "Except?"

Thanks.
  

Top answer

Hi, It's a sentence fragment. Say Normally, he did not give how he dressed much thought , e xcept today he wanted to look his best. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, It's a sentence fragment.
  • Say Normally, he did not give how he dressed much thought , e xcept today he wanted to look his best.
  • Clive
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8 Answers
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Hi,

It's a sentence fragment.
Say
Normally, he did not give how he dressed much thought, except today he wanted to look his best.

Clive
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I hear what you're saying, and normally I do write like that. The thing is, though, that for the mood of that entire section that it's in, I want there to be a firm pause there; one that's heavier than with just a comma rather than a full stop. Here's another example of a sentence starting with "Except," albeit a longer one:

Except none of this really tells us what exactly made the
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You are leaving off a "that", so technically, no comma: "Except (that) today ...." You can put a comma there if you want a pause. When writing fiction you are pretty much free to do anything your editor will sit still for.
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I see. So is a comma always optional after "Except" when a sentence starts with it? Like in that second example I gave, I'm assuming, based on what you just said, that it would also be optional there as well.
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SnarfI see. So is a comma always optional after "Except" when a sentence starts with it? Like in that second example I gave, I'm assuming, based on what you just said, that it would also be optional there as well.
Almost. I would say a comma is wrong in both sentences in formal writing and possible in creative writing.
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enoon Almost. I would say a comma is wrong in both sentences in formal writing and possible in creative writing.
Well, why is a comma after "However" necessary, then? What's the difference between "except" and "however?" There must be one, if it is optional, or in formal writing, even incorrect, to put a comma after the former, but is actually necessary
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Snarf enoon Almost. I would say a comma is wrong in both sentences in formal writing and possible in creative writing.Well, why is a comma after "However" necessary, then? What's the difference between "except" and "however?" There must be one, if it is optional, or in formal writing, even incorrect, to put a comma after the former, but is actually necessary to put it in
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