Commas can be confusing for many. The rules aren’t always clear, and a lot of the times putting a comma becomes a matter of judgment. It becomes a matter of whether a comma will enhance the meaning or improve the legibility of the text. However, even when there are clear cut rules, these can be …
Comma Rules
Using commas with words is quite a pain in the neck. We think we know what to do, yet at times we don’t. This very dilemma happens to be true with the word “sometimes,” an adverb of frequency that also means “occasionally.” This article, however, would like to focus only on when to use a …
There are some standard phrases that you are going to come across time and again. For instance, I’m sure you’ve heard someone say, “Excuse me, but …,” which is a simple way of grabbing someone’s attention without seeming too intrusive. You can follow that phrase with a request, a question, or any other “imposition.” You …
Ask anyone who’s ever written an essay how he or she feels about commas and you’re likely to receive a groan for an answer. Despite the comma hate, this piece of punctuation has only a few basic rules. Part of the problem is that writers tend to hyper-focus on how commas interact with specific words. …
Despite a bad reputation as one of the most confusing parts of English grammar, the comma actually follows fairly simple rules. Chief among them is that the need for commas is primarily determined by the need for clarity. In other words, you really only need a comma when the meaning of a sentence or its …
Is there a comma before since? There is usually no comma before since, as “since” is a subordinating conjunction. “Since” can also function as both a preposition and an adverb. In these roles, too, a comma preceding ‘since’ is generally unnecessary. ”Since” as a preposition — Comma Rules When “since” acts as a preposition, …
As we’ve seen in earlier posts on this topic, commas can be very confusing. Part of the problem is that there is a lot of bad advice out there. Some people suggest adding a comma whenever you would pause while speaking. Although this sounds like a good idea, it can lead to sentences that are …
The purpose of commas is to make writing clearer by splitting the words and phrases that make up a sentence apart. Despite this fairly simple purpose, comma usage can often be confusing to new and veteran writers alike. There seem to be too many possible rules, and sometimes the rule will change depending on whom …
Whenever you start learning a language, there are always a few things that are bound to stump you. There are words that have multiple meanings, and the only way to figure out the meaning is from the surrounding contexts. There are phrases and expressions that are completely idiomatic and have nothing to do with the …