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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

optional comma?

Hi,

Please tell me if the comma below is optional or needed. What do you look for to make a decision on this kind of thing?

John stars in the hit cooking show, "The Splendid Chef."

John stars in the hit cooking show "The Splendid Chef."

The hit cooking show "The Splendid Chef" is starred by John.

The hit cooking show, "The Splendid Chef," is starred by John.
  

Top answer

The comma is properly needed to set off the appositive, as in your #1 and #4 (except that I would put the comma outside the quotation mark-- and 'is starred by' passive is not native; use 'stars John'). )

— Mister Micawber

  • The comma is properly needed to set off the appositive, as in your #1 and #4 (except that I would put the comma outside the quotation mark-- and 'is starred by' passive is not native; use 'stars John').
  • )
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3 Answers
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The comma is properly needed to set off the appositive, as in your #1 and #4 (except that I would put the comma outside the quotation mark-- and 'is starred by' passive is not native; use 'stars John'). When the noun and its appositive are short and very closely associated, the commas are sometimes omitted (My brother Bill is bigger than me.)
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Mister MicawberThe comma is properly needed to set off the appositive, as in your #1 and #4 (except that I would put the comma outside the quotation mark-- and 'is starred by' passive is not native; use 'stars John'). When the noun and its appositive are short and very closely associated, the commas are sometimes omitted (My brother Bill is bigger than me.)
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Yes, that's a good place to omit commas-- they would only make the sentence drag.
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