Usage of commas
1) In squirrel monkeys males approaching breeding age become social outcasts.
2) In squirrel monkeys, males approaching breeding age become social outcasts.
I have seen the first sentence without a comma but I feel like the second one with a comma is correct or better.
Or are both possible?
What do you native English speakers think?
Thank you so much as usual.
Top answer
I don't think you can omit the comma unless you rephrase the sentence as Male squirrel monkeys approaching breeding age become social outcasts.
- I don't think you can omit the comma unless you rephrase the sentence as Male squirrel monkeys approaching breeding age become social outcasts.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
I don't think you can omit the comma unless you rephrase the sentence as
Male squirrel monkeys approaching breeding age become social outcasts.
0An American native speaker: The comma is required to mark the end of the introductory phrase. It is not optional.
0Hans51are both possible?
Yes. Introductory prepositional phrases do not take a comma unless they are very long (or they are common expressions like "In fact"). "Very long" starts at four words, five words, or six words, depending on who you ask.
If I had used the comma in the given sentence in my written work when I was at university, I would have b
0
Related Questions