My friend is taking this as a joke, saying that Pence is endorsing Gary Johnson (a bold truth-teller) among three candidates, while I say that even ignoring the obvious context of the statement, the phrase should still be taken as an appositive. Andrews, the dead mans, parents were fighting a custody battle. 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. However, some editors may prefer the second sentence. 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. But I still have a question. You could use commas in that case. I would like to ask you a question about a sentence. (No commas if you have more than one brother.) Q. This error mirrors that in the preceding example; it can afflict references to inanimate entities as well as descriptions of people. 1. The name Janice is essential to the meaning of the word friend, since she is not their only friend. There was no question that John's painting a huge colorful and ugly mural was the worst entry in the art exhibit. Let's take a look at another example: Remember how we said the comma belongs between the quote and the tag? You use an opens in a new window apostrophe plus an "s" on the end of "Squiggly.". Oh, interesting and helpful. We are filing this motion on behalf of Defendant, Smith Company, seeking summary judgment., Wee are filing this motion on behalf of Defendant Smith Company seeking summary judgment.. = 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. But when restrictive, I don't feel the pause after "my boss" anymore than after "my friend" when it's restrictive, which is another reason why I'm now thinking the comma should be left out to be consistent with how something like "my friend" is treated when restrictive. "Such and such walked into a bar" jokes are very popular in the UK, and this very simple one will help you remember how to employ the passive voice and how it differs from the active voice. : Underline? Therefore, a comma is necessary. A man is as old as he feels, and a woman is as old as she looks. Im having problems understanding appositives. Incorrect: He yelled to the driver, "This isn't my Uber"! Can you pleae help? Would it go inside or after the quotation marks around release? Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. Charles went to town with his best friend, Mike. (David married three times, and Lily is his first wife). Or are they both? 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. How can we cool a computer connected on top of or within a human brain? His youngest sister, who played the piano, is only in first grade. Football the greatest sport ever invented is played during the fall months. 3. The plural form thousands is correct in your sentence. The second sentence could certainly be misinterpreted by a careful reader. If you use your name and job title as your trading name, should you use a comma to write it, like this: Your comma is fine; however, titles immediately following the name do not ordinarily require capitalization unless the title is part of a signature line, press release, or promotional material. Reading age. For example: Johns, 18, labrador is white. I am still puzzled on how to correctly punctuate the following: 'The bar was walked into' also ends in an awkward preposition. But there's one comma rule I've flip-flopped on: my husband Michael. Explanation: My sister is a relatively precise identifier. In trumpeting this masochistic achievement, the writer is suggesting that the volume in question is the only one in existence; it is the book. But bibliophiles have other options, so the writer should respect that fortunate fact by omitting both commas from this sentence. No one will assume 2 in that case. Give a thief enough rope and he'll hang himself. The 10-year note was yielding 2.07 percent, the highest level since Jan. 14, and the 30-year was at 2.86, also a January high in afternoon trading., I think there should be a comma after January high., The 10-year note was yielding 2.07 percent, the highest level since Jan. 14, and the 30-year was at 2.86, also a January high, in afternoon trading.. Couldn't you still run into the same problem using "My oldest friend, Jessie, and I went shopping."? When a formal title precedes a persons name, it is capitalized as part of the name; therefore, no commas are required. eg. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. But in first case we can have several above average students in class and couple talented musicians. The number one seed, Tampa Bay Rays, played the eight seed, Toronto Blue Jays. How to automatically classify a sentence or text based on its context? I really did find this post very interesting; I thought most of your examples were intuitively obvious (the result, I suspect, of YEARS of steady reading), but would have been hard put to it to devise a unifying principle. Therefore, the second quiz question could have two acceptable answers. Its my friend Johns car. Q. Harold is an excellent singer and he can dance all of the latest dance moves. I went to the game to laugh have fun and talk with my friend. See our post Capitalization of Job Titles for more information. There are situations where determining restrictive (or essential) words or phrases versus nonrestrictive (or nonessential) are not clear-cut. You are correct. In your example that would be One of her top priority issues has failed to gain traction. Thank you in advance. Your second version with the commas before which are grammatically correct. I read so a restrictive comma after show is necessary as so no restrictive comma after show is necessary.. Outdoor amusements means those amusements including: fairgrounds, outdoor sports facilities, racetracks, and other similar uses, not otherwise specifically defined.. CORRECT. King Olafs homeland, Norway, is in northern Europe. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive. Battles by My Friend John . Deed from John and wife, Jane, to Bob. Aided by their friend Janice, the two friends built a treehouse. John knows everything about me, and I know everything about him. @GentlePurpleRain Yes, here it would be more ambiguous and complicated, and depends on whether the speaker expects their audience to know who their oldest friend is. In the second sentence, father is a precise identifier (as long as there is only one person he calls his father). OR We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida, as well as through his nephew, who is a member of our church. Rule: When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, dont use commas. You would be better off recasting the sentence; there should be no obligation to go with this awful combination of words. Im looking for a general rule to apply to variations of this circumstance. (, number 13579,). Hi, my name is John and this podcast, Me & My Friends is my attempt to learn from and elevate the voices of people who have had, are having a major impact on my life. There are several other learning activities so I believe the title is essential. Dont you think so? Note also that whos sick would be a restrictive clause (no separating comma) because it describes one man from possibly many men named Paul. Madol Duwa is a precise identifier; the appositive the famous childrens book is not considered essential. If you're ever confused about whether you need a comma in situations like this, you can refer to the following: Good morning, Sam. Using the information you learned in this article along with our Rules 5 and 6 of Commas, try answering these on your own. In the fall, students will need to read Born in Fire, by Nora Roberts, in order to get English credit. e.g. Therefore the comma after uses is unnecessary. How to translate the names of the Proto-Indo-European gods and goddesses into Latin? Toronto Mayor John Tory has introduced 3. The absence of comma indicates that I have more than one sister. But also, perhaps, correct not to use the commas?. He noted that I had not mentioned Cyprian in my essay on this text and that some KJV only folks claimed that Cyprian actually quoted the form that appears in the KJV ("For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and . Captain Lewis was . Are the commas necessary in this type of sentence? It can be omitted only if the context makes clear that the artist has performed more than one show. When the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not, ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb. Is this sentence correct in terms of comma use? When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive. In your first sentence, Mt. In the second sentence, the phrase given to Shadam by her father is essential to the word scarf since it identifies that particular scarf. Tags: Question 7. How to automatically classify a sentence or text based on its context? If the name only provides a name for the person or thing, but the previous description has already homed all the way in on them or it, the identifier is inessential: go ahead and separate with commas. The comma is used to show a separation of ideas or elements within the structure of a sentence. Good morning. I have been struggling with this sentence. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If I were to write Brett lives in Denver with his wife Leena and three sons. should I use commas around Leena? E.g., Anna May Wong, or Anna Can Wong, mean 2 different things depending on whether the statement refers to Annas Wonging ability, or having permission. Exercise : Comma Exercise 2. To show plural possession, write brothers and sisters names. See our post Apostrophes. Here is my question. P.S. I would not assume that John was your only friend with sentence 1. If you have only one mother and Eli and Noah are your only chldren, my mother and my children are precise identifiers. Regarding comma usage, the sentence is incorrect. Are these commas correct? (Use commas if Alex is your only brother.). Explanation: Our pediatrician is still a relatively precise identifier so Andr Wilson is not considered essential. could you please to tell me if the following is grammatically and stylistically correct? For example: Jackie, are you leaving so soon? Our Rule 4 of Quotation Marks says, Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks. (This is the American rule.). @thumbtackthief why is it wrong? If John is a dog, then it would only be two. Youve posed an interesting question that we feel should not be forced to conform to the guidelines we might normally follow for essential vs. nonessential words. But I didnt agree with it and my logic, that John is essential appositive and thats why we shouldnt put comma before it. If youre editing such a sentence, and you dont have details, its best to omit commas. Explanation: Our senator is an appositive of the proper noun Jorge Torres. If you pay attention to little things like punctuation marks, you'll notice that writers are split on this one. . Kindly look at this example. Therefore, its fine to bend the rule in this case. 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. (If I have couple older brothers). As we mention in our comment of January 11, 2012, we can follow all the rules perfectly yet the exact meaning of a sentence can still be unclear. 1 Answer Sorted by: 2 The comma makes it non-restrictive. The phrase not otherwise specifically defined can only modify other similar uses since the sentence makes no sense if and other similar uses is removed. Aided by a friend I built a treehouse. Charles went to town with his best friend, Mike. 8. Also remember to use words carefully. There are a few exceptions and they're mostly family relations. rev2023.1.17.43168. I need my sunglasses, and my brother needs his beach ball. 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". Ella my little sister will escort you to your seat. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive. If Shadam only refers to one person as mother (i.e., no stepmother, adoptive mother, etc. Finally she did, and my friend, John, and I went shopping. Shadam will be married in her mother, Sarahs gold wedding band. (me: In the above example, the that-clause [noun clause, not relative clause] modifies [or complements] an adjective, not a noun, so Im not sure what is going on here. Example: My sister, who received a scholarship, will attend Harvard. The commas are correct, or enclose the bank account in parentheses instead: (number 13579). A. In your second example, however, the word friend is not a precise identifier because one may have numerous friends. My friend, John, and I went shopping." Her teacher handed back the papers on time. My wife, the CFO of her company, reads spy novels by the bucketful. Here you assume there's three people, even though the commas are the same as in the initial example. But if poise and humorousness are read as being in apposition to grace, they seem inessential and thereforeas nouns in appositionto require commas. The flow and syntax of I still grieve my dear wife Helens death sounds natural to the ear. . Unrelated comments may be deleted. We suggest changing supports this to proves that.. I work for a law firm. Exercise 2: Put commas in the text. (I just decided to "throw" in her name to give you some extra information.) You can use semicolons to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas. When the word the appears, the title is used descriptively and requires a comma (as in the first sentence). A serious student, Rebecca, will graduate early from college. Example: Jorge Torres, our senator, was born in California. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. Im actually now finding myself puzzled by the first example. Is her teacher a precise identifier? My friend Dave is a thriller writer. Therefore, it is an essential appositive, and commas are not necessary. When is a comma used? This may be a matter of authors interpretation, but we would not enclose the phrase in commas. Is this grammatically correct? (See also: John McCain) 2. 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. We usually use a relative pronoun or . His name is Michael. For example, which sentence below displays correct punctuation? Does it make a difference if there are multiple defendants? Example: Harvey, my friend, loves animals. 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.. (2) Our Senators, Jorge Torres first bill was for tax reductions. But your last answer is No commas are needed if you have two (or more) older brothers. My boss John came over. Deed from John and wife, Jane to Bob. 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. A compound sentence comprises two independent clauses. Is there a punctuation change for the second. For the less ardent fans who may not understand this topic, to help make it clearer while sounding better, wed switch to descriptive participles instead of using nouns in apposition: The number one-seeded Tampa Bay Rays played the eighth-seeded Toronto Blue Jays. Since Jane is not essential to the meaning of wife, use commas around the appositive. Unless Brett is a polygamist, the term his wife is a precise identifier. He was Jack, the big ape, who got his job because of his mother. (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.). The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Congratulations, Michael! 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). If I dont get this assignment back tonight, I will not be able to play in my lacrosse game tomorrow, and, understandably, I have been looking forward to it. But its not correct or Im wrong? Material created by Jane Straus and GrammarBook.com. Question 10. 2. It depends on how you want the dedication to read. '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. The correct treatment would be: Mrs. Brown stated her boyfriends, Jim Smiths, education includes a degree. Thanks. Do I need to add another comma before the names of my family members? answer choices. Yet Toronto Mayor, John Tory, has introduced looks/sounds wrong, even though I cant pinpoint the grammatical difference between sentences 1 and 2. A potentially less awkward treatment would be: Mrs. Brown stated the education of her boyfriend, Jim Smith, includes a degree. 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). 1) My manager created the discussion topic, What concerns do you have at work?, in my appraisal document. Second Question: If you use the only comma, where do you put the follow-up comma if the word has an apostrophe? Where do you think the comma belongs? It only takes a minute to sign up. A good friend of mine, Harry, went to the party. My friend Amelia can speak four languages. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause. I still grieve my dear wifes, Helen, death. Or does the and alone separate the items adequately? Amazing offers from Shinjuku, Japans leading luxury hotel. If we consider my older brother like a nonessential phrase so we need to put a comma after it.