A comma before who is used in parenthetical expressions. As a writer, its only natural that i pay attention to the mechanics of my. Deciding whether to put a comma before or after but in a sentence is hard for a lot of writers, but it doesnt have to use a comma before but only when its connecting two independent clauses. Users can view posts by date or topic grammar, punctuation, word choice, style, or general tip or view all entries. Grammar girls punctuation 911 ebook by mignon fogarty. Page 1 of 2 1 2 next spikechiquet wellknown member. Our web sites are our online store frontsour online images. Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to reallife, entertaining examples.
Mignon fogarty, whose popular podcasts have been downloaded over twenty million times and. Its known as the oxford comma because it was traditionally used by printers, readers, and editors at oxford university press. Commas punctuation rules the blue book of grammar and. Grammar girl 8 hrs new york times bestselling author paula brackston talks about how she picks her characters names, how she uses language to set a tone, and how she juggles working on multiple books at once. Following that she was coauthor of my grammar and i or should that be me.
Some authors are probably like me meaning, they are grammar nuts. In both those sentences, the part after the adverb isnt a main clause, so i just used a comma before and after the words moreover and however. Here is a complete and comprehensive guide to all things grammar from grammar girl, a. So i thought i would spread the word about a few of my favorite books on grammar, spelling and punctuation and the like. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. This chart from grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students gives examples of the 15 most common ways to use a comma. A runaway hit and sunday times bestseller in 2008, my grammar and i has continued to grow in popularity, becoming the goto guide for grammar. Feb 6, 2012 explore realgrammargirls board grammar girl.
Harvard comma because its used by harvard university press, but i. Do you need a comma after thank you, followed by someones name. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. Grammar girl mignon fogarty on the biggest changes in language. Commas and however with examples commas and however this page is about whether to use a semicolon or a comma before however. I use commas before or after or around names used in direct address that is, when youre addressing somebody, as in hello, laura, or rodney, welcome, or honey, im home. I always loved writing, but it wasnt until i became a working writer and editor after college that i. Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, grammar girl makes complex grammar questions simple with memory tricks to help you recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. This post contains affiliate links that earn commissions for this website from qualifying purchases. Commas with transition words grammar girl quick and dirty tips. I use commas before or after or around names used in direct address that is, when youre addressing somebody, as in hello, laura, or rodney, welcome, or honey, im. Mar 03, 2016 usually, the comma will go before the coordinating conjunction. A cambridge qualified celta english teacher and author of 18 books with a life long passion for publishing in all. Feb 02, 2017 speaking as a reader, i would definitely notice if you used both john said and said john, and i would probably look up and wonder why you were making me notice your speaker attributes, but i wouldnt necessarily put the book down.
Repackaged with a fresh jacket design, this muchloved gift title is now available in paperback, for. Unless you use it to introduce extra information said smith, who is captain of the football team. But you get to choose whether you want a comma with your too. Have you ever wondered how to use a comma with however or if you even should. Commas before conjunctions and, or, but grammar monster. Deciding whether to put a comma before or after but in a sentence is hard for a lot of.
Thats just a quirk with me because ive tinkered with the flipflop before settling on john said. About the book will do for grammar what eats shoots and leaves did for punctuation the times a runaway hit and sunday times bestseller in 2008, my grammar and i has continued to. Here are a few of my favorites with some ideas for using them in your classroom whether you are celebrating national punctuation day next week or just want to add a little variety to language arts. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show. Grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing listen via. You dont automatically put a comma before the word because, but. The grammar is killing me in this book at page 150 but i am intrigued and will go on. When using it as robmandu did, you wouldnt put a comma before and after you would use a semi. Discussion in writers workshop started by spikechiquet, aug 22, 20.
Buy our book smashing grammar 2019 written by the founder of grammar monster, smashing grammar includes a glossary of grammar essentials from apostrophes to zeugma and a chapter on easily confused words from affecteffect to whetherif. After all, we are judged by our use of language in certain contexts. Despair was the initial impetus for this book, writes lynne truss, and she. Imagine im worried about a library book that is due tomorrow. Days reruns and the cow is named after a happy days character. Grammarlys writing assistant can help you make sure your punctuation. His understanding of grammar was based largely on the study of latin, which. I decided to write about comma splices because my friend scott sigler has a book coming. Fowlers modern english usage points out that the objection to due to as a compound preposition is an entirely 20c phenomenon, but it begins to look as if this use of due to will form part of the natural language of the 21c. Why is the comma inside the quotation marks in it girl. Grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing listen. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by. The thumbnails and activities are the property of the authorscreators. Following that she was coauthor of my grammar and i or should that be.
From the quick and dirty tips series, grammar girl aka mignon fogarty provides you tips to improve. I will correct the grammar and punctuation of the novel, but ill still use an editor afterwards to make sure its as good as it can be. From the quick and dirty tips series, grammar girl aka mignon fogarty provides you tips to improve your writing in a short and fun format. Someone who is beating around the bush is a person who avoids the main point of what they are saying, but instead talk around it. From punctuation to style, grammar girl has you covered in her weekly on demand podcasts. If i ever write a book, i will edit it to death before i even think of sending it to a publishereditor. If the two parts of your sentence can stand alone, you need to use a comma. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show is a fivetime winner of best education podcast in the. With 100,000 copies sold, this is a complete and comprehensive guide to all things.
A comma before however it is common grammar mistake to use a comma before however when it is being used to merge two sentences into a compound sentence. The oxford comma is an optional comma before the word and at the end of a list. Learn whether to use the subject or object pronoun after than, and whether than is a conjunction or a preposition. When and how can you use a comma before or after but. My youngest son, who has just turned twelve, is a real genius. Studying grammar is hard sometimes but interesting all the same.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing covers the grammar rules and word. The easiest way to listen to podcasts on your iphone, ipad, android, pc, smart. Since discovering grammar girl, ive acquired plenty of fresh knowledge about grammar, some of which ive shared here in the writing forward grammar posts. I am doubting this sentence because it just sounds weird to. My comment was relative to the op suggesting that no comma was appropriate after the authors name in the usage fred writers history of elbonia i would. Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, grammar girl makes complex. Grammar girl is part of the quick and dirty tips network. Grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students. Comma or no comma after too is really up to you and the context of the. My comment was relative to the op suggesting that no comma was appropriate after the authors name in the usage fred writers history of elbonia i would most definitely use a comma after citation in duderdudes followup question, for claritys sake. Grammar girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing. The answers stating that a comma must follow thank you and. Grammar girls punctuation 911 by mignon fogarty rakuten kobo.
Proofreading, editing and ghostwriting services available at affordable prices. Both in a while and after a while have been common english phrases for hundreds of years. But the garmin ad violates a hardandfast rule, not a guideline. Will do for grammar what eats shoots and leaves did for punctuation the timesa runaway hit and sunday times bestseller in 2008, my grammar and i has continued to grow in popularity, becoming the goto guide for grammar. We check cmos, harts and our favorite grammar books, and sometimes were still not certain when to include a comma and when its safe to exclude them. Oct 10, 20 get grammar girl s take on than i versus than me. Top ten grammar errors that haunt web pages writing tips. Aug 27, 2015 we check cmos, harts and our favorite grammar books, and sometimes were still not certain when to include a comma and when its safe to exclude them. A comma splice occurs when you splice together two complete sentences with. The answers stating that a comma must follow thank you and precede the name, as in thank you, frank are correct, of course. Online sensation grammar girl makes punctuation fun and easy in grammar girls punctuation 911. Learn whether putting an oxford comma before the last and in a list is proper punctuation. But since so few people adhere to the rule, actually following it ends up looking odd.
Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing covers the grammar rules and wordchoice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. If the name is at the beginning of a sentence, you put a comma after it. Listen to grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing episodes free, on demand. Grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for. Grammar and punctuation from ac english on butterfly wings. Usually, the comma will go before the coordinating conjunction. Do you know when to use a comma before or after but. Since content is crucial, isnt it time to introduce a few grammar tips. Jul 19, 2007 i also have a slight obsession with grammar. Speaking as a reader, i would definitely notice if you used both john said and said john, and i would probably look up and wonder why you were making me notice your. Please reread the original post as well as my first post, goodman. Mignon fogarty, whose popular podcasts have been downloaded over twenty million times and whose first book, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing,was a new york times bestseller. September 12, 2015 september 12, 2015 ask grammar girl leave a comment a common misconception with grammar and there are a lot, because english grammar is a messy ass casserole of the grammar of other languages is that its always correct when referring to yourself and another person to say, you and i. This chart from grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students.
Grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing. A comma before the too gives the sentence just a slightly different. From new york times bestselling author and creator of the top ranked grammar girl podcast, mignon fogarty, comes her bestselling grammar girl presents the ultimate writing guide for students. The internets grammar girl on the last decades most dramatic change in language.
September 12, 2015 september 12, 2015 ask grammar girl leave a comment a common misconception with grammar and there are a lot, because english grammar is a messy ass. Smashing grammar our grammar book, 2019 related pages. You cant put he in place of the name and have it sound right. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. Is it proper to use a comma after writing thank you. Some of the items represent style choices instead of rules, such as how to use a comma in a list, but when youre making a simple list, you have to make choices. I dont have a strong opinion on the relative merits of benefits of working as opposed to benefits to working, but what i find absolutely appalling about ops passage is that not only has the. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language. Grammar girl has a good paragraph on thisuntil, in my opinion, at the very end. When using it as robmandu did, you wouldnt put a comma before and after you would use a semicolon before and a comma after. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. If you are writing an address, whether typed or handwritten, on an envelope to be mailed via the post office, the u. Your articlepost needs to have some relevance to writing, books, ebooks, epublishing, tips for blogging, marketing. I will correct the grammar and punctuation of the novel, but ill still use an.
Previously published as part of grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing. From new york times bestselling author and creator of the top ranked grammar girl podcast, mignon fogarty, comes her bestselling grammar girl presents the ultimate. Industry influencer mignon fogarty, the grammar girl, talks writers relief about the writing industry and her new book. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma.
Whenever i listen to her podcast, scan her blog, or read her book, i always pick up new insight into grammar and writing. Mignot fogarty, better known as grammar girl provides the public with an accessible reference on punctuation. In this article were going to look at comma use near the beginnings of sentences, after introductory elements. Top ten grammar errors that haunt web pages writing tips by. You dont use a comma everywhere you would pause when. Comma before who english language learners stack exchange. Books dealing with punctuation are a great way to bring concepts to life and spice up a lackluster grammar lesson. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. Grammar girl is similarly a pseudonym for mignon fogarty, a former magazine and technical writer whos also the sites founder, and she offers writing and usage tips in blog posts, podcasts, and newsletters.
The serial comma is the comma before the last and in a series. The thumbnails and activities are the property of the. Actually, comma placements are a problem i find most troubling in my own work. An oftcited example is the madeup book dedication to my parents. Aug 17, 2008 if i ever write a book, i will edit it to death before i even think of sending it to a publishereditor.
Some organizations have temporarily suspended their polling, and with the news media tabbing sandy as the new it girl, the presidential candidates were sent to the fourth estates back. Does the comma go before or after but in a sentence. Postal service recommends that you do not use any punctuation. In a while and the now obsolete within a while were first recorded about 80, the oed says. Some organizations have temporarily suspended their polling, and with the news media tabbing sandy as the new it girl, the presidential candidates were sent to the fourth estates back burner, at least for a few days, as notedby media reporter howard kurtz. My biggest peeve is when a comma is placed after therefore, but not before. Most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a simple series, apparently. Other sites feature, for example, advice and information on science, health, finance, career, and lifestyle from inhouse. I posted last week about my slight obsession with spell check. Comma before conjunction if the conjunction separates two fully functioning sentences. Grammar girl, is determined to wipe out bad punctuationbut shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible.
Previously published as part of grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing online sensation grammar girl makes punctuation fun and easy in grammar girls punctuation 911. That last comma before the and is called a serial comma, oxford comma, or harvard comma. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show is a fivetime winner of best education podcast in the podcast awards. If you enjoy the original, try trusss latest books, the girls like spaghetti and twentyodd ducks. Please note that these pages contain a collection of links to activities to support and enhance classroom teaching and learning. Caroline taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular nonfiction for thirty years before being asked by michael omara books to write i used to know that, which became a sunday times bestseller. Comma before conjunction if the conjunction separates two fully functioning sentences formally called independent clauses. Repackaged with a fresh jacket design, this muchloved gift title is now available in paperback, for new. Lemonizer apparently wanted to omit the word is from the phrase includes but is not limited to and the. One of these latin lovers was an eighteenthcentury english clergyman named robert lowth. Learn what a comma splice is and how to fix comma splices in your writing.