commas - help!!
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commas - help!!
Finding it difficult to track down some clear rules for comma use to go over with my 9 yr old. We are ok on using them for lists but need some info for other uses.
Also I thought you didn't use commas immed before or after and but one of the Nfer papers seems to think a comma before and is ok. Any opinions on this?
Also I thought you didn't use commas immed before or after and but one of the Nfer papers seems to think a comma before and is ok. Any opinions on this?
I was always taught that the bit in commas could be taken out of the sentence and the sentence would still make sense eg:
"It was decided, quite quickly, that we should go on a picnic."
Hope this helps - very happy to be corrected if this is no longer the case - it was centuries ago that I learned this!!
"It was decided, quite quickly, that we should go on a picnic."
Hope this helps - very happy to be corrected if this is no longer the case - it was centuries ago that I learned this!!
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Wizard, yes you can use a comma before 'and' in some instances, it's called an 'Oxford comma' and it's two most common usages are a) in a list to avoid ambiguity and b) particularly in poetry or drama where the addition of a comma more closely matches the cadences of the sentence were it being spoken rather than written.
However in English the default position is not to have a comma unless it feels/sounds necessary.
HTH,
Rob
However in English the default position is not to have a comma unless it feels/sounds necessary.
HTH,
Rob