He slept in a cave, and a mountain lion prouled around outside all night, but he [no comma before "but" -- the following is not a stand-alone clause] kept it away by building a fire and throwing stones on the way back from Tahleguah.
I need help because I don't know if I need a comma before but in the sentence above. The computer program said that I didn't , but I don't know. Thanks a lot!
2006-11-08 13:43:34 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
IMO you could get rid of both of the commas in that sentence (i.e. the one after "cave" and the one before "but". You don't need them.
2006-11-08 13:45:51 · answer #1 · answered by I Am Legend 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you do not need to use a comma before the word but...but is the pause and no comma after cave,
While sleeping in a cave a mountain lion prowled around outside all night. He Kept it away by building a fire and throwing stones on the way back from Tahleguah.
Or
He slept in a cave and a mountain lion prowled around all night, however he kept it away by building a fire and throwing stones on the way back from Tahleguah.
Or
He slept in a cave and a mountain lion prowled around all night but he kept it away by building a fire and throwing stones on the way back from Tahleguah.
2006-11-08 21:48:23 · answer #2 · answered by CeKaye L 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He slept in a cave, a mountain lion prowled around outside all night, but he kept it away by building a fire and throwing stones on the way back from Tahlequah.
Fixed the typos also.
2006-11-08 21:53:00 · answer #3 · answered by c0mplicated_s0ul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The computer program is right, no comma needed - you qualified the statement with the previous clause about the mountain lion. However, you might want to check the spelling on prowled....
2006-11-08 21:47:04 · answer #4 · answered by mudgeemum 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is a break in the sentence that is going off in a skewed direction, so I would put a comma there, too. The computer program is not always correct; it has varied choices and sometimes does not make the right one.
2006-11-08 21:50:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read it out loud and you pause before saying "but" then you need a comma, if not, then no comma. By the way you NEVER put a comma before or after "and".
2006-11-09 00:15:11 · answer #6 · answered by indylovessoccerylotr 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm pretty sure you do want a comma there but not after cave, also, 'prouled' is spelled prowled
2006-11-08 21:45:47 · answer #7 · answered by NeRdYkId1101 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No comma..
I would personally take out both commas...
, but
cave,
2006-11-08 21:45:11 · answer #8 · answered by Betty Boop 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋