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Jazzmaster Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
What does a comma do in these sentences?
Once again, I would like to hear your opinions.
This time, it is "," ... yes, a comma.
(A) She married a guy whom she met on the internet.
(B) She married a guy, whom she met on the internet.
... as you can see, the only difference between these two sentence is No.2 showing a "comma" in front of the relative pronoun "whom".
Questions:
1. What are differences in meanings of (A) and (B), if there is any?
2. Are these must be precisely differentiated in real-life usage?
I understand that one single comma could make a sentence have different meanings in certain cases.
However, I would like know the effect of comma in these particular sentences, (A) and (B) above.
Thanks in advance.
This time, it is "," ... yes, a comma.
(A) She married a guy whom she met on the internet.
(B) She married a guy, whom she met on the internet.
... as you can see, the only difference between these two sentence is No.2 showing a "comma" in front of the relative pronoun "whom".
Questions:
1. What are differences in meanings of (A) and (B), if there is any?
2. Are these must be precisely differentiated in real-life usage?
I understand that one single comma could make a sentence have different meanings in certain cases.
However, I would like know the effect of comma in these particular sentences, (A) and (B) above.
Thanks in advance.
Top answer
In this case you have restrictive (or defining) and non-restrictive (non-defining) relative clauses. Non-restrictive clauses use commas; restrictive clauses do not use commas. Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra information about the noun they are describing; restrictive clauses give us defining information about the noun being described.
- In this case you have restrictive (or defining) and non-restrictive (non-defining) relative clauses.
- Non-restrictive clauses use commas; restrictive clauses do not use commas.
- Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra information about the noun they are describing; restrictive clauses give us defining information about the noun being described.
- It helps to look at the following examples: Pirates who kill people go to jail.
- (restrictive) Pirates, who kill people, go to jail.
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3 Answers
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In this case you have restrictive (or defining) and non-restrictive (non-defining) relative clauses.
Non-restrictive clauses use commas; restrictive clauses do not use commas.
Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra information about the noun they are describing; restrictive clauses give us defining information about the noun being described.
It helps to look at the follo
Non-restrictive clauses use commas; restrictive clauses do not use commas.
Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra information about the noun they are describing; restrictive clauses give us defining information about the noun being described.
It helps to look at the follo
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Well said and excellent examples.
I have no more questions on this topic.
Anon, you are the man/woman, and I love you.
Again, thanks a lot.
J
I have no more questions on this topic.
Anon, you are the man/woman, and I love you.
Again, thanks a lot.
J
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