fandom_grammar . Entries tagged with punctuation:commas

Today we're going to look at this anonymously asked question, "Do appositives always need punctuation?" with the help of our friends from Ghostbusters.

( Do appositives always need punctuation? )

Mood: creative

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ariestess

Source: Bizarro

My first thought on reading this is that the "real" should actually be "really", but that's probably just me being pendantic.

But this comic brings home the point of proper comma usage, too. If I was that bully, I'd probably punch the well-digger in the nose for calling me "Stupid."

So how would you rewrite this comic to be more grammatically correct?

Mood: blah

Tags:

theemdash

This question came to us with a specific example, wondering about the correct punctuation in this sentence: The eleven-inch wand, the one made of ash[,] shot out a stream of sparks.

Let's start by identifying "the one made of ash" as an appositive phrase. Our Grammar 101: Prepositions & Phrases article defines an appositive as "a noun or pronoun, often with modifiers, that renames or identifies another noun or pronoun within a sentence."

( Punctuating Appositives with help from Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer )

Tags:

ariestess

Click to embiggen

Here at

fandom_grammar, we've covered commas several times in the past, so I won't necessarily rehash that information here.

Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a stickler for the Oxford comma. But when I first saw this graphic, I nearly died from laughing so hard. I could picture the pauses with each comma. Of course, it didn't help -- or is that hurt? -- that I could also hear Walken's and Shatner's voices in my head as I was reading their panels.

I suppose this graphic, while hilarious, just illustrates the point of choosing your comma style and being consistent in its usage.

Mood: crappy

Tags:

lady-ganesh.livejournal.com

Grammar is essential for clear communication. But did you know that grammar can also help you with tricky social situations? Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal shows you how!

I really should use this trick more often.

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melayneseahawk.livejournal.com

This week, Facebook serves up some punctuational goodness, care of George Takei's feed:

( I've done far worse than kill you. I've split infinitives. )

Mood: amused
Music: something on Pandora

Tags:

ariestess

Originally found via writing.com

Punctuation is so very vital, and this sign definitely shows just how important.

Unless you're some kind of cannibalistic serial killer with a large family and many pets, of course, in which case this is perfectly fine for you.

If you'd like a refresher on comma usage, check out all of the previous entries over here.

Mood: creative

Tags:

randi2204

whymzycal has done a fabulous job explaining run-on sentences and how to fix them here, but let’s have a quick review.

( We'll be assisted by Castle and Beckett from Castle. )

Tags:

randi2204

We've all heard those jokes, where someone (or something) walks into a bar, right? Rejoice, grammar mavens! Now we have some jokes of our own!

For some quick refreshers on the errors in the comic above (and maybe how to fix them), take a journey down memory lane with these links:

Comma splices, which are a form of run-on sentence.

Dangling modifiers

Question marks

Quotation marks

Verbs

Passive voice

Tags:

ariestess

So this week, your Friday Funny deals with one of my personal pet peeve topics: the Oxford Comma.

shortee over at tumblr originally posted this graphic and I fell in love with it.

For the record, not all grammar comics are right, and this happens to be one of them. For it to mean the orange juice is on the toast, there should be an "and" in between eggs and toast. Both sentences read very similarly, and the intent appears obvious even without the commas.

In the end, I don't know about you, but the idea of orange juice on my toast is gross. YMMV, of course.

Mood: tired

Tags:

lady-ganesh.livejournal.com

We've covered our friend the Oxford comma more than once: in 2008 with A Very Special Comma and as a Blast from the Past earlier this year.

But if those articles weren't enough to convince you, there's this cartoon from Tumblr user Lush-mana.

( It's probably safe for work, but we'll tuck it under the cut just in case. )

Tags:

theemdash

It is with great pleasure that I answer the 200th question at

fandom_grammar! 200 questions is a lot of grammar and we’re looking forward to answering 200 more.

How do you indicate pauses or hesitation in narration and dialogue? (ex. hesitant speech, for emphasis, pauses for breath)
( with examples from Stargate: SG-1, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Doctor Who. )

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achacunsagloire.livejournal.com

Our next question comes from

lacygrey:

What is the proper comma use with "therefore"?

( An excellent question! Let’s take a look under the cut.... )

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whymzycal.livejournal.com

Welcome to this week's installment of Blast from the Past! Today we'll be revisiting "a very special comma," also known as the Oxford comma, the Harvard comma, and the serial or series comma. (Can you spot the very special comma in the previous sentence?)

The serial comma is the comma placed before the "and" or "or" in a series (that is, a list) of three or more items:

Nothing could be better, Dean thought, than a bottle of whiskey, a juicy bacon cheeseburger, and a double feature of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Some style guides, however, leave out the serial comma. For a rundown of reasons why you might choose to either use or omit the serial comma, see the original article, "A Very Special Comma," by

theemdash.

And for even more info on the serial comma, you can visit Grammar Girl.

Tags:

melayneseahawk.livejournal.com

campylobacter asked:

Can one interrupt dialogue with first person narration? (with examples from Firefly, Stargate SG-1, and The X-Files)

The short answer is yes.

( The long answer is under the cut. )

Mood: pleased

Tags:

theemdash

In the previous punctuation post,

skroberts discussed terminal punctuation—punctuation that ends sentences—and punctuation that is used to hang related thoughts together. In this post I'll be discussing punctuation that is used to give additional information, as in a parenthetical, punctuation that is used to pause or omit, and the almighty comma.

( Onward to Commas, Em Dashes, Ellipses, Parentheses, and Square Brackets )

Tags:

theemdash

I'm doing a pinch hit this week. The writer for the planned feature has come down with a case of the Real Life, so I'm cobbling this together at the last minute. Thankfully, I'm well-versed in the topic at hand. Are you?

[Poll #1200676]

( A Special Comma with examples from Stargate: SG-1 )

Tags:

melayneseahawk.livejournal.com

sutlers wanted to know:

In dialogue, is it "Shit," he said, and ran. or "Shit," he said and ran.? (with examples from Heroes and Supernatural)

This question is actually about comma usage in general, not just dialogue specifically.

( Meanwhile, on the other side of the cut... )

Mood: cheerful
Music: sirens

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Fandom Grammar

Entries tagged with punctuation:commas

Answer: Do appositives always need punctuation?

Friday Funnies: Well Grammar

How do you punctuate appositive phrases?

Friday Funnies: Comma Types

Friday Funnies: Clever Comma Usage

Friday Funnies: KHAAAAAAAAAAAN

Friday Funnies: Don't be a Psycho

Blast from the Past: Run-on Sentences

Friday Funnies - Seven Bar Jokes

Friday Funnies: Why I Still Use the Oxford Comma

Friday Funnies: The Importance of the Serial Comma

Answer: How do you indicate pauses or hesitation in narration and dialogue?

Answer: What is the proper comma use with "therefore"?

Blast from the Past: A Very Special Comma

Answer: First-Person Narration and Dialogue

Grammar 101: Punctuation for Pauses, Omissions, and Parentheticals

Friday Feature: A Special Comma

Answer: Comma Use in Dialogue Tags

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