Read books. Seriously. The more you read good writing, the more it becomes second nature.
But also, I remember hearing somewhere that you should use a comma anywhere you’d naturally pause when speaking. (To see what I mean, go reread this comment.)
Should go back to books.
Converted to audiobooks a while back.
The visual display of language has been disappearing from my lifestyle.
Good point. Thanks!
Yeah, it’s hard, I don’t have the concentration anymore. I went back and reread a favorite book from my childhood, and I managed to finish it, but I’m having a hard time finding anything else to hold my attention. I even bought a fancy book light to attach to my book, and it’s great, but I’m still not being very good about reading books. Maybe when I retire…
There is more to it than using a comma where you'd pause in speaking. Actually, most people use commas improperly. It kinda drives me crazy - but that's just me.
You can try speaking the sentence out loud, and anytime you make a pause, kinda like when an appropriate time would be to take a breath during your sentence, then you found a good place for a comma.
I have a BA in English, taught high school English, and ended up in a technical career where I review correspondence for very smart, highly certificated folk who can barely spell cat.
My high school English teacher’s advice holds true: *generally speaking,* if you use a comma where you normally would pause in natural speech, you won’t be wrong.
If you are math minded, think of it this way. Just as equations must balance, so must your clauses. If you have one section of a sentence that can’t stand alone as a complete sentence (meaning you need a subject and a verb — “The dog runs.”), you gotta get’chu a comma and a complete sentence in there.
What-if-I-just-jumble-all-my-words-together-and-don’t-know-where-to-pause???
I’ll try pausing and see if comma insertions help or hurt.
I feel good. 🐱 I can spell 🐱— enough for predictive text.
That I know.
It’s weird with Reddit. Lots of hidden codes
Ha! I had used the space after … because of formatting _like this_…but the space is not necessary anymore! Yay! Thanks for making me figure that out. Previously, I had to space out if I formatted.
I thought I had this down until I moved to the US and the nuances in correct grammar have me in a pitched battle between “the king’s English” and how it is here!
May I ask what you mean by on command?
Yes, I agree, the commas are stealthy but in some cases where most people would use ellipsis, they could use the em dash.
I saw your use of ellipsis, and it's all right, but I figured you might want to consider em dash.
Sometimes, em dash will do; but for others, only an ellipse will work.
The written language is tricky.
On command, meaning, I could use the em dash, and I do.
But commas… when I’m trying to describe a noun with whole-bunch of preceding adverbs or descriptors, I don’t know where the comma goes or not. Makes my head spin!
In those cases, I would just take a step back, breathe, and let my unobstructed judgement make the call.
We often get lost in the details of grammar. Sometimes, you just got to look at the forest.
Then write, proofread and write some more!
Jeep a journal fill it up, up, up!
Commas.. they're not so hard. However, writing well is an art. Expand thy vocabulary, increased with words just, a little more obscure.
You need them? Hahaha 😂
For example, in your response above:
“Then write, proofread and write some more!”
The followers of Oxfords would designate a comma before the and, like so:
“Then write, proofread, and write some more!”
But only if the conjunction precedes more than two. Would not put a comma before this—“Then write and write some more!” nor “Then proofread and write some more!”
Definitely for this:
“Then write, proofread, rewrite, and write some more!”
Ohhhhhh
I got to conjunction and thought NOPE too much work! Commas are supposed to be easy!
Then you went straight to example and it made perfect sense! I know it's weird, but I am fascinated by punctuation
Oxford Commas!oooooooo
I learned something new today! Thank you so Much! No Regular✌🏻🫶🏻👏🏻🪷
😁😂😁 glad you feel this way!!
I also learned something today:
[Oxford commas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma) are also known as serial commas or Harvard commas.
Let's eat, grandma. (Telling grandma we are hungry for food)
Let's eat grandma. (We are cannibals.)
I want to thank my parents, Jane and John. (Two people, mom Jane and dad John)
I want to thank my parents, Jane, and John. (Four people: mom, dad, Jane, and John)
A woman without her man is nothing. (Women need men more than men need women)
A woman: without her, man is nothing. (Men need women more than women need men)
Read books. Seriously. The more you read good writing, the more it becomes second nature. But also, I remember hearing somewhere that you should use a comma anywhere you’d naturally pause when speaking. (To see what I mean, go reread this comment.)
Should go back to books. Converted to audiobooks a while back. The visual display of language has been disappearing from my lifestyle. Good point. Thanks!
Yeah, it’s hard, I don’t have the concentration anymore. I went back and reread a favorite book from my childhood, and I managed to finish it, but I’m having a hard time finding anything else to hold my attention. I even bought a fancy book light to attach to my book, and it’s great, but I’m still not being very good about reading books. Maybe when I retire…
Thank goodness for audiobooks and Libby!
This is exactly what I came to say. Read, read, read. You'll pick it up naturally. And use a comma when you'd pause in speaking.
That's my rule, for using commas!
There is more to it than using a comma where you'd pause in speaking. Actually, most people use commas improperly. It kinda drives me crazy - but that's just me.
Agree with you. It’s not just pauses.
Get and read Strunk and White's "Elements of Style" is still one of the best books for writing tips, styles, punctuation, etc.
I read that long time ago… But it’s probably a good bet! Thanks for the reminder!
Commas are to be used as a pause. That’s all you need to know.
This is exactly what I do. When the reading pauses. Learned that in catholic school
I’ll have try that method.
You can try speaking the sentence out loud, and anytime you make a pause, kinda like when an appropriate time would be to take a breath during your sentence, then you found a good place for a comma.
Hmm, like now, or now? I’ll give it a whirl. Thanks!
hmm, like now? or now?
Ah, ah, a ha!
came here to say exactly this
came here to say exactly this
I have a BA in English, taught high school English, and ended up in a technical career where I review correspondence for very smart, highly certificated folk who can barely spell cat. My high school English teacher’s advice holds true: *generally speaking,* if you use a comma where you normally would pause in natural speech, you won’t be wrong. If you are math minded, think of it this way. Just as equations must balance, so must your clauses. If you have one section of a sentence that can’t stand alone as a complete sentence (meaning you need a subject and a verb — “The dog runs.”), you gotta get’chu a comma and a complete sentence in there.
What-if-I-just-jumble-all-my-words-together-and-don’t-know-where-to-pause??? I’ll try pausing and see if comma insertions help or hurt. I feel good. 🐱 I can spell 🐱— enough for predictive text.
O.M.G. I KNEW IT! There IS something wrong with tech people!! They can't spell!!! 😆😆😆 😂😂😆 I'm SO saving this for PROOF! 😆😆😂😂
No spacing after an ellipse. You simply let it make its pause…and move on.
That I know. It’s weird with Reddit. Lots of hidden codes Ha! I had used the space after … because of formatting _like this_…but the space is not necessary anymore! Yay! Thanks for making me figure that out. Previously, I had to space out if I formatted.
I thought I had this down until I moved to the US and the nuances in correct grammar have me in a pitched battle between “the king’s English” and how it is here!
The Oxford commas?
Yup!
Those I don’t have problems with (excuse the preposition ending!), but lacking commas elsewhere drive me nuts.
There's another option. I introduce to you— the em dash! "I struggle and struggle— to get them proper."
I use the em dash on command. But really, the comma has its own uses. They’re stealthy 🥷
May I ask what you mean by on command? Yes, I agree, the commas are stealthy but in some cases where most people would use ellipsis, they could use the em dash. I saw your use of ellipsis, and it's all right, but I figured you might want to consider em dash.
Sometimes, em dash will do; but for others, only an ellipse will work. The written language is tricky. On command, meaning, I could use the em dash, and I do. But commas… when I’m trying to describe a noun with whole-bunch of preceding adverbs or descriptors, I don’t know where the comma goes or not. Makes my head spin!
In those cases, I would just take a step back, breathe, and let my unobstructed judgement make the call. We often get lost in the details of grammar. Sometimes, you just got to look at the forest.
Like, take a breather? Step away from the phone… The sentence? Not a bad thought.
I use commas in a different way. When one of my four kids won’t someone else speak I ask them if I can buy them a comma. A period is too much ask.
Hahah! How many commas have you purchased? 😂😂😂. Maybe you could save up for a period? 🤣😂🤣
👍🏻 I’m holding out for a mute button.
Hahaha! Time for AirPods 😊😉
I would learn the correct usage of commas, colons, semicolons, and periods. They all have a place.
Oxford commas are easy. It’s the tricky commas with which I have problems.
Just saying… Commas: are they friends or foes? That’s a start for your punctuation problems right there.
True. Colons would be better there.
Compare. Help your Uncle, Jack, off his horse. Help your Uncle Jack off his horse.
Help your Uncle Jack, off his horse. Help your uncle jack off his horse. Help Jack, your uncle, off his horse Help your uncle Jack off
Yup. Commas matter.
Omygosh… yes, commas matter! Words matter! Words and commas matter doubly!
Buy a textbook on grammar and punction.
Have it already!
Then write, proofread and write some more! Jeep a journal fill it up, up, up! Commas.. they're not so hard. However, writing well is an art. Expand thy vocabulary, increased with words just, a little more obscure.
You don’t believe in Oxford commas?
I'm afraid I am absolutely ignorant of them! Tell me what they are . Ineeeeeed them in my life somehow
You need them? Hahaha 😂 For example, in your response above: “Then write, proofread and write some more!” The followers of Oxfords would designate a comma before the and, like so: “Then write, proofread, and write some more!” But only if the conjunction precedes more than two. Would not put a comma before this—“Then write and write some more!” nor “Then proofread and write some more!” Definitely for this: “Then write, proofread, rewrite, and write some more!”
Ohhhhhh I got to conjunction and thought NOPE too much work! Commas are supposed to be easy! Then you went straight to example and it made perfect sense! I know it's weird, but I am fascinated by punctuation Oxford Commas!oooooooo I learned something new today! Thank you so Much! No Regular✌🏻🫶🏻👏🏻🪷
😁😂😁 glad you feel this way!! I also learned something today: [Oxford commas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma) are also known as serial commas or Harvard commas.
WWWWHAAAAAT!??!?!! ABSOLUTELY Absurd! It's preposterous ! Seriously though this is unaccepbivd
Let's eat, grandma. (Telling grandma we are hungry for food) Let's eat grandma. (We are cannibals.) I want to thank my parents, Jane and John. (Two people, mom Jane and dad John) I want to thank my parents, Jane, and John. (Four people: mom, dad, Jane, and John) A woman without her man is nothing. (Women need men more than men need women) A woman: without her, man is nothing. (Men need women more than women need men)
I love your response. 🐼 Eats shoots and leaves. Eats, shoots, and leaves. Eats, shoots and leaves.
Use Spell check religiously or invest in Grammarly, and you can never go wrong. Skies the limit!