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Chrismlangan Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

is a comma here optional?

I say this not to upset you, but to help you realize your potential.
  

Top answer

Chrismlangan I say this not to upset you , but to help you realize your potential. I'm not going to try to quote a rule that says it should be there (probably isn't one), but I would certainly use it, just to get the reader to pause a second.

— Philip

  • Chrismlangan I say this not to upset you , but to help you realize your potential.
  • I'm not going to try to quote a rule that says it should be there (probably isn't one), but I would certainly use it, just to get the reader to pause a second.
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5 Answers
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Chrismlangan I say this not to upset you, but to help you realize your potential.
I'm not going to try to quote a rule that says it should be there (probably isn't one), but I would certainly use it, just to get the reader to pause a second.
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Philip
Chrismlangan I say this not to upset you, but to help you realize your potential.
I'm not going to try to quote a rule that says it should be there (probably isn't one)
This is not really a rule, but maybe an useful tip-off ;) [url=
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Hi,

You might even consider an optional comma both before and after 'not to upset you'.

Clive
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I say this not to upset you, but to help you realize your potential.

I guess this sentence falls under the compound predicate rule, in which case a comma is optional, but would be useful in this type of sentence.
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