Grammar Lesson #2 -- Commas and Their Clawses

[sophisgotagun]

*puts on glasses and pretends to look all severe like your freshman english teacher*

Today, we are going to discuss.... commas

dun
dun
duuuuuun!

Yes, that would be this thing: , (scaled up by... a lot... for dramatic effect, 'cause I'm like that

Comments

[wonderfulwrites]

Their clawses. Oh, you're clever. :P

[sophisgotagun]

Yeah, I try. ;)

[melusin_79]

Tricksy things, commas. To quote from 'Eats shoots and leaves

[sophisgotagun]

I think that dialogue is rather different from writing when it comes to punctuation, so I tend to believe the author is allowed to do their own thing with it 'cause the amount of pauses in the sentences are up to them

[melusin_79]

Yes, I agree that there should be more freedom allowed with dialogue, generally speaking. (Although I've had to fight my corner on that one as well).

Serial commas aka the Oxford comma. In Britain the standard usage is to leave it out. Personally, I think that a comma before an 'and' in a 'list' situation just looks plain ugly. There are very few instances where I would agree with its inclusion.

I have had chapters sent back to me for correction because I haven't put a comma after 'Oh.' (I was told there were no exceptions).

I think you may like thepandasaysno community. I'm sure they would love your contributions.

[sophisgotagun]

How very interesting they told you there were no exceptions. "Oh my God" is an exclamation. Why would you have a comma?

I've actually gone through the trouble to research it, and I cannot find a reference as to what is correct either way. Hum.

I'll check out the community soon. I have betaing to do, :d

[misstee123]

Very useful! I love posts like this. Thanks for your work trying to educate the masses.

[sophisgotagun]

I weep for the masses every evening. I wonder how it is possible they make up the world, sometimes :(

[misstee123]

You just keep hammering at the grammar portion of education for the masses.

I am putting together a committee which will approve/disapprove all names that parents choose for their newborns. There will be no more Mavericks or Rumers if I get my way. We will also be working to streamline spelling of approved names. No more Rachel spelled Raychel'le and such.

[sophisgotagun]

As long as there's no more Gladyses, either, 'cause it's just cruel to name a child after your favorite great aunt who taught you how to make perfect lemonade or some crap like that.