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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Why isn't there a comma in this sentence?

"The proprietor sprawled on the counter , reading the Herald and yawning."

I added the comma there myself but why isn't there to begin with?
  

Top answer

Anonymous I added the comma there myself but why isn't it there to begin with? Comma placement is often just a matter of the author's choice, but most participle clauses take the subject of the main clause as their own (or should), so there is usually no need for a comma, especially in cases where other interpretations fly in the face of common sense. For example, a counter can't read.

— CalifJim

  • Anonymous I added the comma there myself but why isn't it there to begin with?
  • Comma placement is often just a matter of the author's choice, but most participle clauses take the subject of the main clause as their own (or should), so there is usually no need for a comma, especially in cases where other interpretations fly in the face of common sense.
  • For example, a counter can't read.
  • CJ
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4 Answers
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AnonymousI added the comma there myself but why isn't it there to begin with?
Comma placement is often just a matter of the author's choice, but most participle clauses take the subject of the main clause as their own (or should), so there is usually no need for a comma, especially in cases where other interpretations fly in
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How about this sentence? I think it needs a comma.

"Like many young lawyers, he'd accepted a job at a large firm hoping to advance quickly and one become a partner."
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Anonymous I think it needs a comma.
No and the last part doesn't make sense anyway.
Anonymousone become
Please check that part.
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AnonymousI think it needs a comma."Like many young lawyers, he'd accepted
Initial prepositional phrases do not usually need commas unless they are discourse connectors like "On the other hand, ...". I would call this comma optional.

In any case your original question was about a participle clause, and this is not a participle clause. It's really a d
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