Even though my first language is English, I still have trouble trying to understand comma splices and when not to use commas. My college professor routinely critisiced my using commas like in the following example, but I'm not sure why. Would someone explain which one of these two sentences is gramatically correct?
I started to ask him about what happened to Jake, but I decided to just ignore him.
Or should this be written without the comma as:
I started to ask him about what happened to Jake but I decided to just ignore him.
2007-02-23 16:43:34 · 9 answers · asked by naruto u 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Drat the professor. You're absolutely right. (As others have explained.) As for me, I don't have to give a hoot. I use dashes & commas & italics & anything that will give "voice" to what I write. Sometimes I stop a sentence in mid-air & drop down a space before I go on. Writing is so STILTED. I also think we should write in little "groups" of words, forget what it's called, but lots easier to read than folllowing long lines, & you can get the thought immediately. But then, I don't have a stupid professor checking me out like I used to!
2007-02-23 17:03:22 · answer #1 · answered by Valac Gypsy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is the distinction your professor was probably trying for:
|--1: (correct) I started to ask him about what happened to Jake, but I decided to just ignore him.
|--2: (also correct) I started to ask him about what happened to Jake but decided to just ignore him.
|--3: (very mildly incorrect) I started to ask him about what happened to Jake, but decided to just ignore him.
Both 1 and 2 correct; the second correctly omits the comma because it shares the same subject, whereas the first requires the comma because it is an independent clause that contains a subject of its own (albeit a repeat of the subject in the first clause).
BTW, a comma splice is different, and a much worse sin. It refers to joining two separate sentences with a comma rather than a semicolon:
|--: (incorrect) I started to ask him about what happened to Jake, later I wished I hadn't.
I deliberately refrain from comment on the split infinitive, which is no sin at all.
2007-02-23 17:31:39 · answer #2 · answered by Joe S 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the one with the comma is correct
you have two parts in the sentence that could stand alone as two complete sentences:
I started to ask him about what happened to Jake.
I decided to just ignore him.
two separate subject-verbs going on here. these are called independent clauses and will have a comma then a conjunction between them.
this is a good website for you:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas_big.htm
2007-02-23 17:03:05 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The comma should be used. Otherwise, technically you have a run on sentence. Ask the professor to explain why he thinks the use of a comma in that sentence is incorrect.
2007-02-23 16:52:06 · answer #4 · answered by notyou311 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Correct:
I started to ask John about what happened to Jake, but I decided to just ignore John.
(You can't have an open ended pronoun, and of course you need a comma.)
2007-02-23 16:47:44 · answer #5 · answered by Santa Barbara 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I started to ask him about what happened to Jake, but I decided to just ignored him.
Is right.
You must have a comma before any conjunction. In that way people won't get confused.
2007-02-23 16:56:07 · answer #6 · answered by pink_orchid 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you know comma splices are wrong, right? you use a comma splice when you put a comma between two clauses, like. "Hi my name is Bob, i am a sophomore here at Riverland." But again, these are incorrect, so there isn't a "right way."
2016-03-29 09:38:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it should be written the first way with the comma prior to the conjunction. It is a compound sentence.
2007-02-23 17:15:43 · answer #8 · answered by Kim 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion, it should be written with the comma, because you have two independent clauses joined by a conjunction.
2007-02-23 16:49:29 · answer #9 · answered by marcosarroyos2003 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋