2022-01-22 ศัพท์ น่าสับสน - Set – C - commas
2022-01-22
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน - Set – C - commas
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Dictionary.com:
ออกเสียง comma = “KOM-uh”
Common Errors in English Usage Dictionary:
Commas
What follows is not a comprehensive guide
to the many uses of commas,
but a quick tour of the most common errors involving them.
The first thing to note is that the comma
often marks a brief pause in the flow of a sentence,
and helpfully marks off one phrase from another.
If you write
“I plan to see Shirley and Fred will go shopping while we visit”
your readers are naturally going to think
the announced visit will be to both Shirley and Fred
until the second half surprises them into realizing that
Fred is not involved in this visit at all.
A simple comma makes everything clear:
“I plan to see Shirley, and Fred will go shopping while we visit.”
People who read and write little have trouble with commas
if they deal with English primarily as a spoken language,
where emphasis and rhythm mark out phrases.
It takes a conscious effort
to translate the rhythm of a sentence into writing using punctuation.
Not many people other than creative writers
have the occasion to write dialogue,
but it is surprising
how few understand that introductory words and phrases
have to be separated from the main body of speech in direct address:
“Well, what did you think of that?” “Good evening, Mr. Nightingale.”
Commas often help set off interrupting matter within sentences.
Theproper term for this sort of word or phrase is “parenthetical.”
There are three ways to handle parenthetical matter.
For asides sharply interrupting the flow of the sentence
(think of your own examples) use parenthesis marks.
For many other kinds of fairly strong interjections dashes
—if you know how to type them properly—work best.
Milder interruptions, like this, are nicely set off with commas.
Many writers don’t realize that they are setting off a phrase,
so they begin with the first comma but omit the second,
which should conclude the parenthetical matter.
Check for this sort of thing in your proofreading.
A standard use for commas is in separating the items in a series:
“cats, dogs, and gerbils.”
Authorities differ as to
whether that final comma before the “and” is required.
Follow the style recommended by your teacher, editor, or boss
when you have to please them;
but if you are on your own,
I suggest you use the final comma.
It often removes ambiguities.
A different kind of series has to do with
a string of adjectives modifying a single noun:
“He was a tall, strong, handsome, but stupid man.”
But when the adjectives modify each other
instead of the noun, then no comma is used:
“He was wearing a garish bright green tie.”
A simple test:
if you could logically insert “and”
between the adjectives in a series like this, you need commas.
English teachers refer to sentences
where clauses requiring some stronger punctuation
are instead lightly pasted together with a comma as “comma splices.”
Here’s an example:
“He brought her a dozen roses, he had forgotten she was allergic to them.”
In this sentence
the reader needs to be brought up sharply
and reoriented mid-sentence with a semicolon;
a comma is too weak to do the trick.
Here’s a worse example of a comma splice:
“It was a beautiful day outside, she remembered just in time to grab the coffee mug.”
There is no obvious logical connection
between the two parts of this sentence.
They don’t belong in the same sentence at all.
The comma should be a period,
with the rest being turned into a separate sentence.
Some writers insert commas seemingly at random:
“The unabridged dictionary, was used mainly to press flowers.”
When you’re not certain a comma is required,
read your sentence aloud.
If it doesn’t seem natural to insert a slight pause or hesitation
at the point marked by the comma,
it should probably be omitted.
The A-Z of Correct English Common Errors in English Dictionary:
Commas
Commas are so widely misused
that it is worth discussing their function in some detail.
First, let us make it very clear when commas cannot be used.
(a) A comma should never divide a subject from its verb.
The two go together:
My parents, had very strict views.
My parents had very strict views.
Take extra care with compound subjects:
The grandparents, the parents, and the children, were in some ways to blame.
The grandparents, the parents, and the children were in some ways to blame.
(b) Commas should never be used
in an attempt to string sentences together.
Sentences must be either properly joined
(and commas don’t have this function)
or clearly separated
by full stops, question marks or exclamation marks.
Commas have certain very specific jobs to do within a sentence.
Let us look at each in turn:
(i) Commas separate items in a list:
I bought apples, pears, and grapes.
She washed up, made the beds, and had breakfast.
The novel is funny, touching, and beautifully written.
The final comma before ‘and’ in a list is optional.
However, use it to avoid any ambiguity.
See (ix) below.
(ii) Commas are used to separate terms of address
from the rest of the sentence:
Sheila, how nice to see you! Can I help you, madam?
I apologise, ladies and gentlemen, for this delay.
Note that a pair of commas is needed in the last example above
because the term of address occurs mid-sentence.
It is a very common error to omit one of the commas.
(iii) Commas are used to separate interjections,
asides and sentence tags like isn’t it? don’t you? haven’t you?.
You’ll notice in the examples below
that all these additions could be removed
and these sentences would still be grammatically sound:
My mother, despite her good intentions, soon stopped going to the gym. Of course, I’ll help you when I can. You’ve met Tom, haven’t you?
(iv) Commas are used to mark off phrases in apposition:
Prince Charles, the future king, has an older sister.
The phrase ‘the future king’ is another way of referring to
‘Prince Charles’ and is punctuated just like an aside.
(v) A comma separates any material that precedes it from the main part of the sentence:
Although she admired him, she would never go out with him.
If you want to read the full story, buy The Sunday Times.
Note that
if the sentences are reversed
so that the main part of the sentence comes first,
the comma becomes optional.
(vi) Commas mark off participles and participial phrases,
whenever they come in the sentence:
Laughing gaily, she ran out of the room.
He flung himself on the sofa, overcome with remorse.
The children, whispering excitedly, crowded through the door.
For a definition of participles see PARTICIPLES.
(vii) Commas mark off some adjectival clauses.
Don’t worry too much about the grammatical terminology here.
You’ll be able to decide whether you need to mark them off in your own work by matching them against these examples.
Can you see the difference in meaning that a pair of commas makes here?
Read the two sentences aloud, pausing where the commas indicate
that you should pause in the first sentence,
and the two different meanings should become clear:
The firemen, who wore protective clothing, were uninjured. (= nobody injured)
The firemen who wore protective clothing were uninjured.
(but those who didn’t wear it . . .)
(viii) Commas are used
to mark a pause at a suitable point in a long sentence.
This will be very much a question of style.
Read your own work carefully and decide exactly how you want it to be read.
(ix) Commas are sometimes needed to clarify meaning.
In the examples below,
be aware how the reader could make an inappropriate connection:
She reversed the car into the main road and my brother waved goodbye.
She reversed the car into the main road and my brother??
She reversed the car into the main road, and my brother waved goodbye.
In the skies above the stars glittered palely.
In the skies above the stars?? In the skies above, the stars glittered palely.
Notice how the comma can sometimes be essential with ‘and’ in a list:
We shopped at Moores, Browns, Supervalu, Marks and Spencer and Leonards.
Is the fourth shop called Marks, or Marks and Spencer?
Is the fifth shop called Leonards, or Spencer and Leonards?
A comma makes all clear:
We shopped at Moores, Browns, Supervalu, Marks and Spencer, and Leonards.
Dictionary.com:
Understanding When To Use Commas With Conjunctions
Published March 11, 2020
Commas don’t have to be confusing.
After all, you know what a comma is:
the punctuation used to mark a division in a sentence,
like the separation of words, phrases, a clause, or a sequence.
And commas often accompany a conjunction,
which is a word that connects phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., and, because, but, and however)
or any other words or expressions that provide a similar function
(e.g., in any case).
The trick is knowing how to properly use commas and conjunctions together.
This cheat sheet will help explain exactly
when commas and conjunctionsshould be used together,
and why it matters
(without—we hope—putting you into a comma-induced coma).
Know your clauses
The use of a comma has a lot to do with the clauses you’re combining.
Two clauses that typically need a comma between them
are an independent clause
(a clause that could be its own stand-alone sentence)
and a dependent clause, which cannot stand alone.
Consider this example:
- We could still see the cat, which was following 10 feet behind us.
The first half,
We could still see the cat, is an independent clause,
because it can stand alone as its own sentence.
The second half, which was following 10 feet behind us,
is a dependent clause, because it cannot be its own sentence.
It is dependent upon the clause in the beginning of the sentence to make sense.
Know your conjunctions
In addition to the conjunctions mentioned way above,
there are also coordinating conjunctions.
These are the words that can connect two independent clauses.
There are seven total: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
These always require a comma.
An easy way to remember all seven is by using the acronym FANBOYS.
What is a relative pronoun?
A relative pronoun is
a word that is used to refer back to a previously mentioned noun.
Relative pronouns are often used to join sentences.
Which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who, and whom
are the most commonly used ones.
Here is an example:
- The writer who wrote this article has a cold.
In this sentence,
who is the relative pronoun that refers back to the noun the writer.
(Hang in there. We’re getting back to commas soon.)
What is a dependent adverbial clause?
A dependent adverbial clause, or subordinate adverbial clause,
is a clause that also acts as, or modifies, an adverb.
It cannot stand alone as its own sentence,
so dependent adverbial clauses must be used as part of
a larger sentence structure that contains an independent clause.
Look at this sentence:
- The mouse returned when we turned off the lights.
When we turned off the lights is the dependent adverbial clause,
and the mouse returned is an independent clause.
After all that,
how do you know when two clauses need a comma to separate them,
and when you can do without?
Check out our comma cheat sheet
Did you use a coordinating conjunction
like and, but, and or to link two independent clauses?
If so, add a comma like we did in this example:
- We didn’t get to it, but tomorrow is a new day.
Did you use a relative pronoun
like who, whom, which, what
(or one of their compounds -ever or -soever)
with a clause that is essential for identification?
If so, leave out the commas, as we did in this example:
- The boy who is playing the clarinet is very talented.
(Which boy is it? Here, the instrument is an essential piece of information.)
- Pro tip: if you are not sure if your clause is essential,
see if deleting it changes the meaning of your sentence.
- For example: Anton, who plays both the clarinet and piano, is very talented.
Since we have specific information about the boy (Anton),
the clause is no longer essential. It takes a comma.
Did you use a relative pronoun
like that, that was not essential for identification? If so, then no comma:
- The skirt that I bought yesterday is already ripped.
Did you use an dependent adverbial clause before an independent clause?
If so, add a comma as in this example:
- When I cook, my kids sit at my feet.
(My kids sit at my feet is the independent clause,
when I cook is the dependent adverbial clause.)
Did you use a dependent adverbial clause after an independent clause?
If so, then you do not need to add a comma.
- The cow eats grass when we look away.
- (The cow eats grass is the independent clause,
when we look away is the dependent adverbial clause.)
Fun fact: the conjunctions even though, whereas, though, and although
do take a comma when they are part of a dependent adverbial clause
that follows an independent clause.
- She really wanted to take out the trash, even though it wasn’t full.
Good news, you CAN start sentences with conjunctions!
And, if you are using a conjunction
at the beginning of a sentence (like we just did),
you should only put a comma after it
if it is going to be the first in a series of commas.
That means that if the only comma your sentence is going to have
is the one you put in after the initial conjunction, you should remove it.
For example,
you would not need to use a comma after your opening conjunction
in the sentence below,
because the comma after the word and
would be the only one in the sentence:
- And that was the end of the matter.
However, you would need to use one after the opening conjunction
in the sentence below,
because the sentence calls for a series of commas:
- So, she told the truth anyway, even though she knew it would end her career.
Comma and non-conjunctions: so and too
How do you use commas when it comes to words like so and too
(orany other non-conjunctions that are joining clauses mid-sentence)?
When it comes to using the word so,
the rule of thumb is that
if it begins your independent clause, there should be a comma.
However,
if it is at the beginning of a dependent clause, you can skip the comma.
Still unsure if you should use a comma?
Try switching out the word so with either therefore or so that.
If therefore works, then the comma is needed.
- My sister was tired all day, so she went to bed early
requires a comma because it is similar to saying
My sister was tired all day, therefore she went to bed early.
If so that can be used without changing the meaning,
then you will want to skip the comma.
- I went to the beach so I could get a better view of the sunset
works just the same as saying
I went to the beach so that I could get a better view of the sunset.
Since either way works, you do not need a comma.
As for the word too, it all depends on the emphasis you are looking for.
A comma only needs to appear before the word too
if you are using it to mark a shift of thought
in the middle of a sentence like in the example:
I, too, like cats.
But it’s not needed at the end of the sentence: I like cats too.
Some of these rules are easier to remember than others,
but with practice—and this guide
—you’ll soon be debating comma placement like the best of them.
Just be wary of those “Oxford or not” debates.
They’re not for the faint at heart!
Dictionary.com:
What Is An Oxford Comma And When Do You Use It?
Published March 26, 2021
Commas can separate items in a list
—for most of us this is a grade-school lesson.
However, there’s one comma use that tends to complicate the issue
even beyond our recess and lunch box years: the Oxford comma.
What is the Oxford comma?
In a list of three or moreitems,
the last comma is called the Oxford comma (or the serial comma).
For example, in
He bought eggs, milk, and bread,
there’s a comma between each item listed.
The comma before and is the Oxford comma.
Not all style guides agree on whether to use the Oxford comma.
In some cases,
you can leave the Oxford comma out
without changing the meaning of the sentence.
If you delete it from the previous example,
it still has the same meaning:
he bought eggs, milk and bread.
In other cases, the Oxford comma can be necessary.
For example, in the sentence
I love my pets, chocolate, and pizza,
the Oxford comma makes it clear that all three items are separate.
This one could be confusing if the Oxford comma were left out:
I love my pets, chocolate and pizza might mean that
the speaker’s pets are named Chocolate and Pizza.
The debate over the Oxford comma
The modern comma descended directly from Italian printer
Aldus Manutius. (He’s also responsible for italics and the semicolon!)
In the late 1400s, when Manutius was working, a slash mark
(/, also called a virgule) denoted a pause in speech.
(Virgule is still the word for comma in French.)
Manutius made the slash lower in relation to the line of text
and curved it slightly.
In the 1500s, this new mark acquired the old Greek name comma.
The word comma literally meant “a piece cut off,”
which is from the Greek koptein, meaning “to cut off.”
Other than the period,
the comma is the most common punctuation mark in English.
The argument for the Oxford comma
As you can tell from the sentence
I love my pets, chocolate and pizza,
those who argue in favor of the Oxford comma
have a whole slew of example sentences
that serve as proof it’s sorely needed.
(In fact, we have a whole slideshow on the Oxford comma
and bizarre misunderstandings that its absence has caused,
if you’re in need of a laugh.)
If you’re following a stylebook to write a paper or article,
be sure to check its policy for commas.
The Chicago Manual of Style is pro-Oxford comma,
while the Associated Press Stylebook is decidedly against it as a rule
—but will allow it for the sake of clarity.
(In 2017, they issued a clarification on their policy,
to assure writers they could use it in cases where they deemed it necessary.)
The argument against the Oxford comma
Strangely enough,
while the comma is so named after the Oxford University Press,
which requires it in its style guidelines,
it’s not exactly popular in Britain.
The anti-comma camp is loudest there,
and those who oppose this punctuation mark
argue it’s unnecessary and clutters up a sentence.
In the 1950s, writer James Thurber famously
complained about the overuse of the comma in The New Yorker,
making the argument that “the red white and blue”
looked much better than “the red, white, and blue,”
when it comes to the American flag.
Some writers who oppose the comma have noted that
there are other ways to remedy a confusing sentence.
Newspapers, of course,
which have historically needed to conserve space and newsprint,
tend to omit the Oxford comma.
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