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DemosLSM Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Help With Comma Placement.
Someone posted this on a law school forum and we're arguing about comma placement. Take a look:
His relentless efforts to disrupt the lives of those he envies, coupled with his uncanny ability to manipulate festers up conflict after conflict.
My thoughts are that "coupled with..." is not a clause needing a comma. But others on the forum think that without a comma, the sentence runs together (I agree, but think it's because of poor syntax/wording).
What do you think?
His relentless efforts to disrupt the lives of those he envies, coupled with his uncanny ability to manipulate festers up conflict after conflict.
My thoughts are that "coupled with..." is not a clause needing a comma. But others on the forum think that without a comma, the sentence runs together (I agree, but think it's because of poor syntax/wording).
What do you think?
Top answer
Welcome to the forums. I think it needs the comma, and I think that "festers" should be the plural from fester. But I've never heard "fester up" - that's a rather unusual use.
- Welcome to the forums.
- I think it needs the comma, and I think that "festers" should be the plural from fester.
- But I've never heard "fester up" - that's a rather unusual use.
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3 Answers
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Hi Demos.Welcome to the forums.
I think it needs the comma, and I think that "festers" should be the plural from fester.
But I've never heard "fester up" - that's a rather unusual use.
I think it needs the comma, and I think that "festers" should be the plural from fester.
But I've never heard "fester up" - that's a rather unusual use.
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Grammar GeekHi Demos.Welcome to the forums.I agree with you that it should be 'fester' and a comma is required after 'envies'. However, I think there should be a comma after 'manip
I think it needs the comma, and I think that "festers" should be the plural from fester.
But I've never heard "fester up" - that's a rather unusual use.
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Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant the entire section should be set off with commas, as you have shown. I still find "fester up" a weird use. It's not a transitive verb. Things fester, but they don't fester other things.
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