punctuation question (where to put the commas)

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billybearfaster@yahoo.com - 03 Jan 2009 22:17 GMT

I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
sentences don't require commas in your opinion, let me know. Thanks

===========================
1. It is my understanding that a lot of people were pinging the hell
out of the site to get it to either slow or shut down.

(Does that sentence work well without commas, or should one be
inserted somewhere? It looks Ok to me)

2. Hey John, where do you want to go?

(is the comma use there OK?. Or should you put a comma after the
first word "Hey" instead?)

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Skitt - 03 Jan 2009 22:46 GMT

> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> (Does that sentence work well without commas, or should one be
> inserted somewhere? It looks Ok to me)

It's just fine as is.

> 2. Hey John, where do you want to go?
>
> (is the comma use there OK?. Or should you put a comma after the
> first word "Hey" instead?)

You need commas after "Hey" and after "John".

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Skitt (AmE)

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Chuck Riggs - 04 Jan 2009 11:46 GMT

>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
>You need commas after "Hey" and after "John".

Should that be "commas" or "a comma"?

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Regards,

Chuck Riggs
Near Dublin, Ireland

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R H Draney - 04 Jan 2009 16:36 GMT

Chuck Riggs filted:

>>> 2. Hey John, where do you want to go?
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>Should that be "commas" or "a comma"?

Moore, I said, do you have *any* commas in that sentence?...r

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"You got Schadenfreude on my Weltanschauung!"
"You got Weltanschauung in my Schadenfreude!"

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Skitt - 04 Jan 2009 18:12 GMT

>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Should that be "commas" or "a comma"?

Excellent question. I pondered it for a second before deciding on "commas".
One just wouldn't do, unless I cut it apart.

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Skitt (AmE)

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Chuck Riggs - 05 Jan 2009 14:44 GMT

>>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>Excellent question. I pondered it for a second before deciding on "commas".
>One just wouldn't do, unless I cut it apart.

Cutting the sentence apart might have worked better, for I got the
immediate impression the correction would result in "Hey,,John,,where
do you want to go?"

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Regards,

Chuck Riggs
Near Dublin, Ireland

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Ian Jackson - 04 Jan 2009 16:07 GMT

>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
>You need commas after "Hey" and after "John".

This is always a problem for me. I'm a great believer in commas but, to
avoid using two in quick succession, I normally use the form "Hey, John.
Where do you want to go?"

Note that when I said "I'm a great believer in commas but, to avoid
using two in quick succession", I would really have preferred to insert
an additional comma after "commas". Would "I'm a great believer in
commas, but to avoid using two in quick succession" be more correct?

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Ian

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Pat Durkin - 04 Jan 2009 17:10 GMT

>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> in commas, but to avoid using two in quick succession" be more
> correct?

I would prefer your sentence with the comma before the "but", but I
can't give a "rule". I simply feel it is better to keep the main clause
complete, and set off the dependent clause with its introductory
conjunction.

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Skitt - 04 Jan 2009 19:01 GMT

> Skitt writes

>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> believer in commas, but to avoid using two in quick succession" be
> more correct?

Yes.

In any case, this matter is discussed in items 2 and 4 of Dr. Darling's
/Guide to Grammar and Writing/.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

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Skitt (AmE)

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Fred - 04 Jan 2009 20:28 GMT

>I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> (is the comma use there OK?. Or should you put a comma after the
> first word "Hey" instead?)

It's fine without a comma after hey.

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Skitt - 04 Jan 2009 20:35 GMT

>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> It's fine without a comma after hey.

From http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrases.htm#vocative

A vocative - an addressed person's name or substitute name - is often a
single word but sometimes takes the form of a noun phrase. A vocative is
always treated as a parenthetical element and is thus set off from the rest
of the sentence with a comma or a pair of commas (if it appears within the
flow of a sentence). When vocatives are proper nouns (usually the case),
they are also referred to as "nouns of address." Vocatives are like adverbs:
they can pop up almost anywhere in the sentence.

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Skitt (AmE)

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Fred - 05 Jan 2009 00:25 GMT

>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> always treated as a parenthetical element and is thus set off from the
> rest of the sentence with a comma or a pair of commas

Oh no it isn't.

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Fred - 05 Jan 2009 04:12 GMT

>>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Oh no it isn't.

http://www.ckdhr.com/hrose/songs/maggie-may.html

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/beatles/hey+jude_20014845.html

And I'm sure you would have been quite pleased to write either of those,
even without the commas.

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Chuck Riggs - 05 Jan 2009 14:51 GMT

>>>> I have a question about the following sentences. I'd like to know
>>>> where to put the commas in these following sentences. If the
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
>Oh no it isn't.

Years of experience in this group have taught me that you argue points
of grammar with Skitt at your peril. Make sure you are right, which
you weren't in this case, before you do.

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Regards,

Chuck Riggs
Near Dublin, Ireland

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

punctuation question (where to put the commas)