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Is a comma required after accidentally?

I accidentally sent you the wrong number.

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No, it's not even desired. I think the only way I'd put commas in that sentence is to put one both before and after 'accidentally'. But I think it's better without any. – Jim Aug 18 '12 at 2:47
What makes you think so? That may explain the question. Voting to close. – Kris Aug 18 '12 at 8:08

closed as not a real question by Kris, MετάEd, Matt Эллен, TimLymington, tchrist Sep 9 '12 at 23:18

It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, see the FAQ.

3 Answers

up vote 3 down vote

No, you must NOT put a comma here. Fowler's Modern English Usage has this to say.

Separating inseparables, e.g. a verb from its subject or object or complement ... (and several examples follow) ... In the foregoing examples the commas are manifestly wrong.

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up vote 0 down vote

In that sentence you should not add a comma after accidentally. The following sentence uses a comma, but that doesn't mean a comma is always used after accidentally.

Accidentally, I gave you the wrong number.

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up vote 0 down vote

If the accidental nature of the action needs stressing, the adverb could be set off as a parenthetical, but brackets or more probably dashes would be used:

I - accidentally - sent you the wrong number.

(Italics to mark stress.)

If the statement is a response to a vexed question, the adverb would be best moved to terminal position:

I sent you the wrong number accidentally.

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