He brought a sports car, which cost him an arm and a leg.
He brought a sports car which cost him an arm and a leg.
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Could you tell me what different meaning if I added a common before which?
2006-10-22 01:31:37 · 8 answers · asked by britishvalue 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
sorry, I meant bought not brought.
2006-10-22 02:30:25 · update #1
I think you mean to say "bought" instead of "brought". The second sentence is a run on and the first one is grammatical. There is no difference in meaning between the two. It's really a grammar issue.
2006-10-22 01:34:41 · answer #1 · answered by cheyennetomahawk 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you do indeed mean 'brought' - not 'bought' - as in 'He brought a sports car, (to the rally, for example), which cost him an arm and a leg, (to get in, for example), then the comma delineates, or separates, the prime from the subjective clause.
In narrative prose, a lot can (and should) be left to the readers imagination and the context of the story. In the above, the reader will be aware that the writer is describing the high cost of admission to a specialist motoring event by turning up in the wrong sort of vehicle! Of course, on the other hand . . . . . .!
2006-10-22 09:17:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was taught (as well as tedious main clauses and sub-clauses blah) to think of a comma as bringing emphasis.
Therefore in your first example, you might understand it to mean that the cost was specifically high for him, but in the second example, it might be generally accepted that sports cars are items which are very expensive.
There is also the 'division' effect, as in Lynn Truss's Eats Shoots and Leaves - '[a panda goes into a clearing] (statement 1) eats shoots and leaves (statement 2). Or - [a huntsman with a packed lunch] eats, shoots, and leaves [ie, departs].
Hope this helps
2006-10-22 08:46:04 · answer #3 · answered by Elsa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In this case there is no difference in the meaning. If you put a comma (not common) after "car", the statement following "which" could be considered a comment or aside, but it would depend on the rest of the conversation/paragraph. There really is no change.
2006-10-22 08:35:09 · answer #4 · answered by anna 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you use a COMMA, you can carry on the sentence
i.e. He bought a sports car, which cost him and arm and a leg, for his wife.
2006-10-22 08:35:33 · answer #5 · answered by Star dust 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
By adding a comma before an interrogative pronoun (in this case which) you construct a non-defining relative clause which describe an object without having the function of defining or identifying to which object the speaker or writer is referring.
2006-10-22 08:44:39 · answer #6 · answered by Earthling 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can change the meaning quite a lot if you learn to spell BOUGHT and COMMA . One suggestion...He bought a sports car, which cost him an arm, and a leg for his wife. (Who presumably was mono pedic ) Do me a favour !!!! Go back to school, moron.
2006-10-22 08:47:02 · answer #7 · answered by john r 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
there wouldn't be any difference
2006-10-22 16:00:02 · answer #8 · answered by shmouse 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋