Using commas, oh my.
I read today that writers do not use nearly as many commas as were used in 1900. I remember being taught that if you forgot all the rules, which most of us have, to place a comma whenever you hear a pause. Today this seems to be a little used and mostly forgotten comma lesson. Why? Because that leaves too many of the dreaded comma’s. There is a relationship between pauses and commas, but it is not strong enough to always use a comma for a pause.
Best advice I read on commas is that if you are not sure leave it out. Now that’s pretty good.
I am reading a new grammar book taking a look at how comma use has changed. Hope it helps. My undergraduate minor was in American Literature nowadays I wish it would have been in English.
Not really.
My photo of the day
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| Relaxing this evening in the beautiful North Bluff Castle at Guernsey State Park |
2 comments:
In the Chicago Manual of Style there were 37 different uses for the comma. No wonder it's confusing.
I have been crazy enough to look at those too.
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