Questions tagged [parenthetical-commas]
The parenthetical-commas tag has no usage guidance.
28 questions
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Correlative Conjunctions with a Negative Element; Comma Rules
Contrasting Elements ("not") in Correlative Conjunctions:
When you have a correlative conjunctive that includes a contrasting "not" element (as in: "if not...then...") ...
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Non-restrictive clauses and commas
Do I need the comma in this sentence? If so, what is the grammatical basis behind it?
The significance of the color blue in the poem has long been a point of focus for scholars, largely due to the ...
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There is a soldier on the hill whom he sees with binoculars
Give your first, immediate interpretation of...
There is a soldier on the hill whom he sees with binoculars.
What springs to mind?
Are these to be rephrased in the same way? Is the punctuation ...
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Where do commas go when interjecting within a list? [duplicate]
Where should commas go in a sentence like the following:
Consider the size quantity and most importantly price.
To address the elephant in the room, I side firmly with the oxford comma in most cases,...
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When to use one or two commas with appositives?
I can't seem to find the answer to the above question.
I know when to use no commas (essential) and when to use two commas (non-essential), but when do you use only one comma?
It appears you use only ...
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What is the correct punctuation when using two adjacent parentheticals in the middle of a sentence? [duplicate]
I was reading an amateur novel which had this sentence:
Humans by nature, at least in this day and age are fickle creatures.
My immediate thought was that the comma placement was wrong. My first ...
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Why is the comma added? [closed]
Why is the comma added in the following?
[The] Hyena crept slowly round, making the most of his spotted brown camouflaged fur against the brownish stems of grass.
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Why/how do the commas work in this sentence?
Why or how do the commas work in this sentence?
If the second I text you back, you call me because you know I'm holding my phone, I will call the police.
They’re not parenthetical.
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Parenthetical element: Comma or dash? [duplicate]
I am unsure when to use comma and when to use dashes when writing parenthetical elements in as sentence. For instance:
He answered - or at least he tried to answer - the question
correctly.
He ...
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Is there a term for, and what is the correctness of, splitting a verb with a nonrestrictive clause?
This is a question about splitting a verb with a clause, not a word. Thus, it's similar to but different from usual verb splitting. Or, rather, I'm wondering if it's different enough to have its own ...
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Can an em-dash function as both an opener to its own parenthetical and simultaneously close a nonrestrictive clause introduced by a comma?
I've read that you are not supposed to include a comma before 'in which', since it is part of a restrictive clause linked to a noun. If you do put a comma before it, it is to render it part of a ...
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a project involving training for children, teachers, and parents(,) was the most effective [duplicate]
is adding the comma before was necessary?
a project involving training for children, teachers, and parents(,) was the most effective
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Unsure whether the clause in this sentence is restrictive or nonrestrictive [closed]
I wanted you to have something tangible in these times, in which very little is concrete.
For more context: this is at the end of a letter that has already established that 'these times' = difficult ...
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Comma around adjectives [duplicate]
Is there a comma error in this sentence?
He wrote other, more insidious, books.
I was told that the comma after insidious is improper. It is, I say, perfectly acceptable usage. Am I in error here?
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Can the comma before "or" be removed when it provides extra information that could be similar to what has already been said?
For instance, would removing the comma be incorrect in "the painting was painted in 1862, or the 19th century"?
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Commas after date element when followed by a parenthetical
In the sentence below, does a comma need to be placed after the parenthetical since a comma would normally come after 2020 in a full date?
Comma?
Review the document I gave you on May 2, 2020 (the May ...
user295356
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Where to place commas when a possibly parenthetical phrase follows "that"
Which of these three options is correct and why? I've included my best guess as to why each one could be considered correct.
He decided that despite the impending thunderstorm he was going to go for ...
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How to punctuate an adverb that immediately proceeds from a serial comma?
Research completed:
* CMS 16th Edition
How would I correctly punctuate an adverb that immediately proceeds from a serial comma? For example, "The contents of your bag will include cheese, crackers, ...
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Is "The eviction process coincided with the deterioration of John's, Vlad's son, health." correct?
The eviction process coincided with the deterioration of John's health, Vlad's son.
or
The eviction process coincided with the deterioration of John's, Vlad's son, health.
The second sentence ...
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Help with parenthetical phrase
first time poster here. Can someone help me with comma placement in the following sentence:
Margaret loved music, especially the compositions of Joseph Haydn, which inspired in her an irresistible ...
user326018
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Comma grammatical function
Could someone please name the grammatical comma use in the sentence below? It looks like an interrupter (parenthetical), but I'm unsure if the usage is correct.
"The title of the song “This is ...
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How to use Commas When an Introductory Clause Precedes a Dependent/Subordinate Clause
I think we all agree that most introductory clauses are set off by commas. E.g.:
In 1982, John Smith went to battle in Spain.
Moreover, the monkeys all ate bread.
I think we also agree that ...
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Placing a comma when not a dialog [duplicate]
Which way is correct for American usage?
He adopted the anglicized version "Edward C. Cordel."
or
He adopted the anglicized version "Edward C. Cordel".
He refused to "pick up a crown out of the ...
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Comma placement for a parenthetical after "and"?
I find myself writing sentences like this often:
A. Here's a summary of our discussion, and if needed, more detail can be found at www.website.com.
I'm not sure if the commas there look quite ...
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Correct rule for placement of a parenthetical phrase in a sentence
What is the correct rule for placement of a parenthetical phrase in a sentence?
Let me explain the problem with the following example sentence wherein any person would find the people placing the ...
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Are the days of using dashes over? [duplicate]
I ran into a sentence which I would like to share in here to prepare the context for my question.
"it was shown that TBT, HBT, and HSDT1 have the same results in order to derive fundamental ...
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Brackets and comma usage [closed]
In the following sentence
Check out our newly created (by people) directory for quick and easy to access information.
should I be using a comma after the closing bracket and after the word quick? Or ...
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Comma after a coordinating conjunction preceding a parenthetical at the start of the sentence
Although similar questions have been asked before, I am still not clear as to official or, at the very least, preferred position from punctuation rules point of view on comma after coordinating ...
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