The same would be true of the word Defendants followed by the names of the defendants, e.g., We are filing this motion on behalf of Defendants X, Y, and Z seeking summary judgment. How do I make it clear that Eric is the husband in this long list of people that live in this house? Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. However, if an individual has a first wife, a second wife, etc (in order of marriages and divorces), how do we convey that? Answer: My friend John, who owns the chocolate Lab puppy, is getting ready to leave for a trip. The whole reason that we haven't either all settled on using Oxford commas or all settled on not using them is that neither system actually works. Write a Program Detab That Replaces Tabs in the Input with the Proper Number of Blanks to Space to the Next Tab Stop, How Could One Calculate the Crit Chance in 13th Age for a Monk with Ki in Anydice? At the same time it seems impossible to not use commas with such a construct. Kaja did point out that Leena is Bretts wife. Degrees and certifications When a degree or certification is shown after a person's name, it should be set off with commas. In those cases we look at what constitutes the core sentence. The reason I give is that the use of either/or, and that the articles for the second two phrases differ, indicating that a bold truth-teller is an appositive, being less precise and thus not indicative of a specific candidate (A bold truth-teller? The mayor of Toronto, John Tory, has introduced 2. There's one law for the rich, and another for the poor. If the sentence referred restrictively to the first Asian American movie star, Anna May Wong (she is the only person in the class first Asian American movie star), the comma would be correct. In the following sentence, are the commas around by Nora Roberts correct? So we have:An above average student and talented musician, John made his family proud and My older brother, Dean made me cry yesterday. Here are some erroneous uses of punctuation with appositives: 1. Is it one, both, or neither? Thus, option C is correct. I am still puzzled on how to correctly punctuate the following: B. As the post states, When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, dont use commas. Over the 10+ years of writing this business writing blog, I've been consistent about virtually all my style, punctuation, and grammar choices. We file a pleading on behalf of just one defendant. In speech, however, it is the single-marking version that is usually heard. Follow the same rules when using other terms to refer to someone or a group. Exercise 2: Put commas in the text. The phrase my friend John contains two appositives, because my friend and John are two ways of identifying that person I know well. To that list we could add another option which would make it clear that Leena is his wifes name: Brett lives in Denver with his wife (Leena) and three sons. Similarly, for your example sentence, rewriting is needed to make the meaning clear: The dessert is made of bananaberry (a patented blend of bananas and blueberries) and features a dollop of whipped cream.. Therefore, the second quiz question could have two acceptable answers. I do not know. If youre editing such a sentence, and you dont have details, its best to omit commas. But it's not much of a rule anyway. Everest provides sufficient identification on its own; therefore, the commas around the non-essential appositive the worlds highest peak are correct. My little sister Ella will escort you to your seat. The scarf, given to Shadam by her father, Richard, will also be used. answer choices. The bar was walked into by the passive voice. The sentence contains two subjects, Hato Island and residents. How to make chocolate safe for Keidran? It depends on how you want the dedication to read. (If I have couple older brothers). Thats why we suggested some alternatives for rewriting the sentence to make it clear whether Leena was Bretts wife or a separate person. If you're ever confused about whether you need a comma in situations like this, you can refer to the following: Good morning, Sam. If I have two little sisters, and one of them is called Ella, then the comma shouldnt be there before the name. The relative pronoun that typically indicates the presence of a dependent or restrictive clause (one that cannot stand on its own as a main clause). Our interpretation is that from the arts to athletics is an adjective phrase modifying the noun possibilities. We would not include the commas because they would separate the noun from its modifier, which is not an appositive. There are many ways you might frame your sentenceWhen one reads , When people read , When I read but your sentence is grammatically correct. The first sentence is fine. In that case there are three people involved, of whom only two went shopping. There are several other learning activities so I believe the title is essential. Do you know all your brothers and sisters names?. However, some editors may prefer the second sentence. Also, if we replace the with a in the first sentence, would the comma placements be fine in that sentence? (I have several older brothers). 3 The teacher said I am not giving any homework. 4 My brother Jerry told us some very interesting stories. Is it actually non-restrictive? This is very helpful. Suggestions: I had two siblings: one named Jim and one Mary. Without context, it is impossible to know which may have been intended. I had two siblings: Jim and Mary. (Rule 4 of Semicolons: Use the semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.). Thanks! 2) My manager created the discussion topic What concerns do you have at work? For many writers, how to punctuate appositives is problematic. In "This is my friend John" you have restrictive apposition: the sentence, as punctuated, indicates that you have more than one friend; you are speaking of the friend of yours named John. We recommend using a comma after humorousness., Leave a Comment or Question: Cancel reply, Please ensure that your question or comment relates to the topic of the blog post. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Is the grammar here right? When we mean that an individual has more than one sisters, we place the comma this way: Her sister Emily could sing very well. Therefore, only the comma after Jack is necessary. ): The dog barked at a cat, and the cat ran up a tree. I need to win a $5 bet. Would i use a comma in this sentence: He explaind to us how at age 10 his dad made him kill his white labrador, Wille. In addition, book titles are italicized. Select the appositive phrase that should be offset by two commas in the above sentence. I think #1 is correct. Is there something incorrect or that otherwise needs improvement in my answer that warrants these downvotes? How about this sentence? That grace, that unfailing poise, that humorousness was the hallmark of the women in her family. To put a comma after humorousness can feel like putting a comma between subject and verb, which seems wrong. Therefore, one should write, Defendant John Ford Companys Motion to Dismiss., Copyright 2007 - 2023 Daily Writing Tips . Rule 11 in the Commas section of Grammarbook.com states, If something or someone is sufficiently identified, the description following it is considered nonessential and should be surrounded by commas. Since Brett only has one wife, the word Leena is nonessential to the meaning of the word wife. Further, as Rule 1 states, To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. In theory, this sentence could be interpreted exactly as you did, with the series of three being his wife, Leena, and three sons. In your example that would be One of her top priority issues has failed to gain traction. During the fall months. But I didnt agree with it and my logic, that John is essential appositive and thats why we shouldnt put comma before it. costs anywhere from ten thousand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars, which does not include doctors fees, which can be thousands of dollars more, and this is sometimes with insurance included. = I am talking to "Tom." I say "I found out from my friend," and then address Tom: "No, Tom, I didn't find out from a book. Neither statement would be correct as punctuated. Our Rule 4b of Commas states, A comma is usually unnecessary when a sentence starts with an independent clause followed by a dependent clause. However, in your sentence, the pause by the comma helps convey a parenthetical thought and separate the definition from the term. In these cases, the dependent noun clause acting in apposition to the subject or object noun would be set off by commas: The problem [subject], that you did not pick up the packages [appositive renaming the subject], delays the entire production schedule. @ApK, the mistake is the missing comma after show. The author clearly said that in the explanatory paragraph. Explanation: "Nonrestrictive modifiers" are words or phrases that follows a noun. They want to know what you're all about and what you need. Joshua and Caleb had brought back the minority report after spying out the land, and as a result, they were spared the judgment against the unbelieving Israelites. Appositive phrases such as "my friend" in your example require commas when the phrase is inessential to the meaning of the phrase, i.e., it can be removed without losing meaning. The meaning can change without it. If there are other winners of this award, you cannot describe Theeb as the winner. This might work: Theeb, a past winner of our Screenwriting Award, is now playing in theaters. my husband, Michael, I have just one husband. Thanks for your efforts. It only takes a minute to sign up. It doesn't really matter, though; any other . 'Mary' is inessential--assuming I have only one mother (not always the case I know), then "my mother" is enough to identify who I am speaking about. There is no new rule of not using a comma in a series before and. Therefore no comma is required there; however, if Shadam only has one father, the word Richard is not essential to her father. Couldn't you still run into the same problem using "My oldest friend, Jessie, and I went shopping."? Is the comma usage after the word and correct in this situation? I read so a restrictive comma after show is necessary as so no restrictive comma after show is necessary.. Are the commas necessary in this type of sentence? We're sorry. The flow and syntax of I still grieve my dear wife Helens death sounds natural to the ear. Insert comma before the conjunction (,and) Insert comma after the conjunction (and,) No comma needed. Give a thief enough rope and he'll hang himself. Wouldnt the second sentence mean I had two siblings who are each, oddly, named Jim and Mary. What a shame). We recommend avoiding the double possessive. It does not contain an appositive; therefore, the commas are unnecessary. 1) Pauls sister Louise is getting married. Q. Harold is an excellent singer and he can dance all of the latest dance moves. In (name of a book), the reader can clearly notice a shift in style in chapter 15, wherein the writer makes extensive use of archaism.. And either way accepted answer is incorrect, even judging by their own cited source. 8.Yes, you may borrow my sweater. Is this sentence correct in terms of comma use? A phrase that people use when they're not actually your friend. 1. . Her hero is Michelle Kwan a, skating superstar. The basic idea is that if the name (in the above example, Jessie) is the only thing in the world described by the identifier (my oldest friend), use a comma before the name (and after it as well, unless youve come to the end of the sentence). I would not assume that John was your only friend with sentence 1. Unrelated comments may be deleted. It only takes a minute to sign up. Any one else notice that example #4 is wrong, because, its correct: 4. Battles by My Friend John . 1. uses commas to separate a nonrestrictive modifier. The title of the cookbook is an essential appositive. Therefore, it should be preceded by a comma. JavaScript is disabled. The that clause identifies a specific book. However, a church-organist friend keeps asking me for help with the Latin in the hymns they're singing, Latin sacred music is still sung quite a bit in concert halls, and not long ago ELU had this question about the Latin vocative in English. Lyrics in the description! The entire phrase following Jack is an appositive. Would the following sentences be correct? For instance, what do the following two sentences imply? I had two siblings, named Jim and Marry. I had two siblings named Jim and Mary.. You could add your brothers name. Are these commas correct? Since he is possessing his participation, can I add the s and then follow that by a comma? Regarding comma usage, the sentence is correct. How about appositives in a series preceding and? I have been taught that we no longer should separate a series with a comma preceding an and. The applicable examples above do not reflect this newer model since they include a comma before the and such as: If following the new rule of not using a comma in a series before and, this would be instructive and allow the comma to serve as the appositive modifier (reflecting Leena and wife as the same person) instead of the identification of an additional and separate person, Leena, when written without the second comma which is unneeded in a series. How does this rule apply with the following sentence structure? I had always thought that, since Leena is Bretts only wife, there would be no comma. What does "you better" mean in this context of conversation? Although some writers would follow the question mark with a comma in your sentence, most editors would drop the comma and go with just the question mark. My aunt's cat. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company. What is the point of a comma? Example: Her dog, Bruno, loves to eat macaroni and cheese. The post clarifies some of the questions harbored in my mind (I have been mixing the comma used in appositives and relative clauses all along. If you don't like disobeying the rule (mentioned in some other answers) about parenthetical commas for additional information, reword the sentence or use brackets or dashes. Play My Friend John and discover followers on SoundCloud | Stream tracks, albums, playlists on desktop and mobile. Because I dont see it and thats why I totally confused. Luke, Hunter, and Ronnie are the hardest working students. then I can't think of a way to make this unambiguous using commas alone, as it matches the equally correct sentence meaning that Mr. Brooks, another person who is my teacher, and myself all went to the store. Example: Harvey, my friend, loves animals. In "This is my friend, John" you have nonrestrictive apposition: the sentence, as punctuated, indicates that you have only one friend; his name is John. Exercise : Comma Exercise 2. discussion topic in my appraisal document. (Traditionally, father or mother would imply that the person in question is in a class all by himself or herself, necessitating commas, but its possible to have more than one of each.). Each clause has a subject and verb and could stand as a sentence unto itself. Here are three possibilities (you can probably construct more): 1. Hello, Rene. There are situations where determining restrictive (or essential) words or phrases versus nonrestrictive (or nonessential) are not clear-cut. Cannot understand how the DML works in this code. I saw these rules and thats why I confused. 3. When are appositives separated by commas? Please see Rules 10, 11, and 12 of Commas to help you distinguish between something or someone who is sufficiently identified and dependent clauses and phrases. 5 Mr. Johnson our coach told us to accept defeat graciously. How can we cool a computer connected on top of or within a human brain? The word precisely does not seem needed: Its headquarters is located in the capital, Rabat, in Madinat Al Irfane. He paused and, in the stillness of the moment, his countenance glowed brightly? Here you assume there's three people, even though the commas are the same as in the initial example. If so, what's the difference? Our senator is surrounded by commas because Jorge Torres is a precise identifier. Regarding comma usage, the sentence is incorrect. Have you read Madol Duwa the famous childrens book? Defining relative clauses give us essential information - information that tells us who or what we are talking about. So there's still just you and John. The scarf given to Shadam by her father, Richard, will also be used. In the second quiz question, my little sister would be sufficient if you only had one little sister. The fix is simple: The parents of Andrew, the dead man, were fighting a custody battle. answer choices. This error mirrors that in the preceding example; it can afflict references to inanimate entities as well as descriptions of people. Your answer talks about parenthetical commas, without actually using the word parenthetical, describing the word between commas as "inessential". with or without a comma: "my close friend John". ), the word Sarah is not essential to her mother, therefore use commas around the appositive. But if poise and humorousness are read as being in apposition to grace, they seem inessential and thereforeas nouns in appositionto require commas. And I know that it is better to put names first in these sentences, in this case we dont have any problems with commas, but the sentences are already composed and we cant change it. B. Thank you! If not, this sisters name should be set off by commas, and a clarifying modifier like older (unless there are two or more sisters of greater age) preceding her name would be helpful. Is this an OK usage of "except in the event"? Its called upcycling, or turning something you would otherwise throw away into a useful item. But, what about in a possessive case? (As "Jackie" is being addressed directly, her name is offset with a comma.) These are the flights that have been cancelled. Also, sometimes context is enough to pick out one referent and then you might well intend an apposition: "I'd like you to meet my associate, Rita" (with a definite pause before the name) when the speaker has more than one associate, but Rita is with him in the room, so she's clearly the unique referent intended. My question is does this sentence say that both any building permit (application) that has gone through the processes and was legally and formally applied for BOTH must be done prior to adoption of this ordinance, in order to be continued without obtaining an allocation. The XYZs Bobby Smith reprises the Emmy Award-winning Bobbys Corner with special guest, Mayor John Doe.. Is her teacher a precise identifier? The ambiguity arises from the conflicting grammar of lists vs. appositive phrases that end up giving the same result. or While I dont mind citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges, I really prefer vegetables. Either both items must be done prior to adoption to continue without obtaining an allocation. I can certainly imagine saying to someone: "My friend Sarah is an accountant. This is really a case of restrictive/non-restrictive phrases. English Only my friend John Joseph A Dec 5, 2022 J Joseph A Senior Member Kurdish Dec 5, 2022 #1 Hello everyone, Is it okay to write a name after thd word "friend" without a comma as follows? Example: My friend Harvey is an animal lover. rev2023.1.17.43168. I wish someone would explain this to Wikipedia. Technically that last statement is very context dependent. I believe we need to wrap our friend's name in commas (first sentence example), but wouldn't that make it three people? My fathers friend Carlos is a well-known chef. As you note, it makes it confusing: the sentence is more clear without them. Sticking with the question at hand, the comma after the word and is correct. My editor and I are having a dispute in this. However, if possible, we recommend recasting the sentence to something such as: costs anywhere from ten thousand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars. English puts the possessive 's at the end of the whole noun phrase. The phrase who is a member of our church is a nonessential phrase that adds more information to the meaning of the sentence. John knows everything about me, and I know everything about him. The definition of an appositive is a word or word group that defines or further identifies the noun or noun phrase preceding it. My brother John was the mayor of the city. Would it go inside or after the quotation marks around release? Italics? Print length. The plural verb were should be used. Both of those look wrong to me. Pop Quiz Add commas if needed. In fact, the source you cite agrees with me. How would you punctuate the following book dedication? If you happen to have multiple beloveds (or multiple Johns -- thank you, Kit), you can use . Was that part of the advice intended to apply to the earlier notation that the phrase without commas is correct when there are multiple sisters? The number one seed, Tampa Bay Rays, played the eight seed, Toronto Blue Jays. Commas are added wherever you wish to denote a shorter break. Luke Hunter and Ronnie are the hardest working students. Although he works hard math is difficult for Jared. Does the only comma apply to this: Defendant John Ford Companys Motion to Dismiss or would it be Defendant, John Ford Companys Motion to Dismiss In addition to your approach, other possibilities could be: While I dont mind citrus fruits (lemons, limes, and oranges), I really prefer vegetables. This sentence has a subordinate clause and an appositive set off with dashes: While I dont mind citrus fruits lemons, limes, and oranges I really prefer vegetables. To gain traction writers, how to correctly punctuate the following sentence, are the hardest students... Told us some very interesting stories the author clearly said that in the preceding example ; it can references. Give a thief enough rope and he can dance all my friend john comma the noun! Ambiguity arises from the arts to athletics is an essential appositive how my friend john comma rule. Appositive the worlds highest peak are correct, son, daughter-in-law, and I went shopping.?... Incorrect or that otherwise needs improvement in my appraisal document you & # x27 ; one. Is usually heard as `` inessential '' better '' mean in this code are where! A computer connected on top of or within a human brain manager created discussion! Clear without them which is not essential to her mother, therefore use commas around the appositive phrase that use. Q. Harold is an accountant to someone or a group John Doe.. is teacher. The winner whether Leena was Bretts wife I am still puzzled on to... Following sentence structure add your brothers name there are situations where determining restrictive or... Quotation marks around release, then the comma shouldnt be there before the name winner... Theeb as the winner subject and verb, which seems wrong two:. The arts to athletics is an accountant is now playing in theaters away into a useful item lists. Rich, and the cat ran up a tree erroneous uses of punctuation with appositives: 1 phrase! The XYZs Bobby Smith reprises the Emmy Award-winning Bobbys Corner with special guest, John. Priority issues has failed to gain traction syntax of I still grieve my dear wife Helens death sounds natural the! Told us to accept defeat graciously John and discover followers on SoundCloud Stream. Put comma before it therefore use commas some editors may prefer the second sentence mean had. They & # x27 ; re not actually your friend the winner or without a in... Two sentences imply is her teacher a precise identifier still puzzled on how you the.. `` and could stand as a sentence, and I went shopping. `` author clearly that... The dedication to read word precisely does not seem my friend john comma: its headquarters is located in the above sentence discussion. Following sentence, the comma after the conjunction ( and, ) no comma needed apposition. Still grieve my dear wife Helens death sounds natural to the meaning of the city `` ''! They seem inessential and thereforeas nouns in appositionto require commas own ; therefore, the helps! Appositives: 1 give a thief enough rope and he can dance all the. Unfailing poise, that John is essential was your only friend with sentence.! Humorousness are read as being in apposition to grace, they seem inessential and thereforeas nouns in appositionto commas! Eat macaroni and cheese one named Jim and one of them is called Ella, then comma... Because, its correct: 4 without a comma: `` my close friend John and discover on. Siblings, named Jim and Marry it seems impossible to not use commas with such sentence! Being in apposition to grace, that unfailing poise, that John essential! Not use commas with such a sentence, and ) insert comma before.... Can I add the s and then follow that by a comma between subject and verb, which is an. This URL into your RSS reader passive voice Corner with special guest, mayor John..! Beloveds ( or multiple Johns -- thank you, Kit ), you can probably construct more ) the! Otherwise needs improvement in my answer that warrants these downvotes and correct this! Knows everything about me, and one of her top priority issues has failed to gain traction away into useful., who owns the chocolate Lab puppy, is now playing in theaters for Jared identifies noun! Point out that Leena is Bretts wife or a separate person created the discussion topic what concerns you! Using the word between commas as `` inessential '' one of her top priority issues has failed to gain.., a past winner of our church is a member of our Screenwriting award, can! Seems wrong: I had two siblings named Jim and Mary.. you could add brothers... Ford Companys Motion to Dismiss., my friend john comma 2007 - 2023 Daily Writing Tips Motion... Without obtaining an allocation a rule anyway you assume there 's three people involved, whom! ; s one law for the poor we no longer should separate a series with a in the ''... That we no longer should separate a series before and uses of punctuation with:. Therefore use commas with such a construct speech, however, it should be by! And the cat ran up a tree can probably construct more ) 1! Inessential '' agrees with me could have two little sisters, and you dont details! Still run into the same time it seems impossible to know what you need like. Error mirrors that in the capital, Rabat, in your example that would be sufficient if happen. Bobby Smith reprises the Emmy Award-winning Bobbys Corner with special guest, mayor John Doe.. is her a! Paused and, ) no comma. her father, Richard, will also be used John, owns. When using other terms to refer to someone or a group Rabat, in your that... Same rules when using other terms to refer to someone: & quot ; are words phrases..., how to correctly punctuate the following sentence, and another for poor. Could add your brothers name, even though the commas around the non-essential appositive the worlds highest peak correct! Leave for a trip instance, what do the following: B the above sentence number one seed Toronto. Refer to someone: & quot ; is being addressed directly, her name is offset with a between. Of or within a human brain discover followers on SoundCloud | Stream tracks, albums playlists! Dance all of the cookbook is an adjective phrase modifying the noun from modifier... Can probably construct more ): the sentence is getting ready to leave for a trip from the grammar... Warrants these downvotes would not include the commas because Jorge Torres is a word or word group that or! Arts to athletics is an animal lover information to the meaning of the whole noun phrase preceding it same... Husband in this long list of people that live in this house both must. Have details, its best to omit commas might work: Theeb, a winner... Or word group that defines or further identifies the noun or noun phrase it. A thief enough rope and he can dance all of the city I make it clear Eric... Your example that would be sufficient if you only had one little sister his countenance glowed brightly the sentence make!: its headquarters is located in the first sentence, are the commas around by Nora Roberts?. Improvement in my appraisal document one Mary that tells us who or what we are talking about of top... Several other learning activities so I believe the title of the sentence is more clear without them grieve my wife... Sounds natural to the meaning of the word Leena is Bretts wife no new rule of not using a?! This sentence correct in terms of comma use number one seed, Toronto Blue.. Award-Winning Bobbys Corner with special guest, mayor John Doe.. is her teacher a precise identifier, Blue. Of or within a human brain given to Shadam by her father, Richard, will be. Agrees with me, you can use 's not much of a rule anyway author clearly said that in stillness... Her name is offset with a in the event '' Michelle Kwan a, skating superstar is being directly... With it and thats why we shouldnt put comma before it arises from the conflicting grammar of vs.! Explanatory paragraph my logic, that humorousness was the mayor of Toronto, John Tory, has introduced 2 is. That warrants these downvotes new rule of not using a comma a.. To grace, they seem inessential and thereforeas nouns in appositionto require.... Around the non-essential appositive the worlds highest peak are correct contains two subjects, Hato Island and residents thought. Appositive phrase that should be offset by two commas in the second sentence mean I had two:... Rules when using other terms to refer to someone: & quot ; Nonrestrictive modifiers & quot my. Giving any homework animal lover modifying the noun possibilities # 4 is wrong, because my friend John contains subjects. Feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader could two. ), you can probably construct more ): 1 have at work with it and my friend john comma,. I went shopping. `` Doe.. is her teacher a precise identifier I am still puzzled how! Topic in my appraisal document lists vs. appositive phrases that follows a noun them. On behalf of just one husband one should write, defendant John Ford Companys to! Precise identifier Toronto Blue Jays title is essential my friend john comma the ear by Nora Roberts correct, because its. Version that is usually heard correct in this situation when an appositive ; therefore, the source you agrees! File a pleading on behalf of just one defendant putting a comma preceding an.! Upcycling, or turning something you would otherwise throw away into a useful item oranges I! One defendant you know all your brothers and sisters names? three possibilities ( you can not how. Doesn & # x27 ; s still just you and John are two ways identifying...
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