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Daithy Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Is possible that a book could have bad punctuation?
I am in my punctuation-obsessed week, so please bear with me — those who have answered my previous posts.
I am reading this book and started to notice that the punctuation doesn't follow the rules that I know (common rules), and it's driving me mad. It slows me down to pay attention to every sentence if the punctuation is correct or not. On the other hand I like to exercise and refresh my punctuation knowledge. However, this book deviates so much that I cannot focus on the thought anymore and have to bring it here to have it settled; if the book is right, then I just won't care anymore and use commas only when I need to add a pause; if the book is wrong, then I will carry on using commas by the rules I have been taught and will enjoy the book because I will know it's just wrong, thus I won't need to look for more imperfections — since it will be full of them.
So here we go......
"Before don Juan could say anything I asked him the question that had been pressing hard in my mind."
— This is a classic, dependent clause followed by independent clause. Where is the comma?
"While I was at home I had promised myself that I was never going to lose my temper or feel annoyed with don Juan."
— same as above really, "While I was at home,...."
"When a man decides to do something he must go all the way."
I am reading this book and started to notice that the punctuation doesn't follow the rules that I know (common rules), and it's driving me mad. It slows me down to pay attention to every sentence if the punctuation is correct or not. On the other hand I like to exercise and refresh my punctuation knowledge. However, this book deviates so much that I cannot focus on the thought anymore and have to bring it here to have it settled; if the book is right, then I just won't care anymore and use commas only when I need to add a pause; if the book is wrong, then I will carry on using commas by the rules I have been taught and will enjoy the book because I will know it's just wrong, thus I won't need to look for more imperfections — since it will be full of them.
So here we go......
"Before don Juan could say anything I asked him the question that had been pressing hard in my mind."
— This is a classic, dependent clause followed by independent clause. Where is the comma?
"While I was at home I had promised myself that I was never going to lose my temper or feel annoyed with don Juan."
— same as above really, "While I was at home,...."
"When a man decides to do something he must go all the way."
Top answer
"— This is a classic, dependent clause followed by independent clause. Where is the comma? " That's exactly the point I was trying to makle in the other thread with the same topic.
- "— This is a classic, dependent clause followed by independent clause.
- Where is the comma?
- " That's exactly the point I was trying to makle in the other thread with the same topic.
- I prefer a comma after "anything" as taught by traditional grammar, but not wrong as it was written.
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4 Answers
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Daithy"Before don Juan could say anything I asked him the question that had been pressing hard in my mind."— This is a classic, dependent clause followed by independent clause. Where is the comma?
Daithy"When a man decides to do something he must go all the way."That's exactly the point
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Thank you, grammarfreak. Could you please tell me where you got the information that it isn't wrong? Is there a book you would recommend on punctuation? Thanks.
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This is an excerpt from The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation:
Rule 9. When starting a sentence with a weak clause, use a comma after
it. Conversely, do not use a comma when the sentence starts with a strong
clause followed by a weak clause.
Examples: If you are not sure about this, let me know now.
Let me know now if you are not sure
Rule 9. When starting a sentence with a weak clause, use a comma after
it. Conversely, do not use a comma when the sentence starts with a strong
clause followed by a weak clause.
Examples: If you are not sure about this, let me know now.
Let me know now if you are not sure
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