Thoughts and prayers going out to all of you on the East Coast.
When last we talked about this, we agreed that we would not like a single separating comma in these sentences.
...I expect that, he will not want to speak to me.
...We know that, you have to go to the left.
...He testified that, he liked to have a beer or two.
So if we do not want a single separating comma in the middle of these clauses as they exist here, we do not want a single separating comma when we add something into the clause. We must use two commas to surround the element or no commas at all.
...I expect that, when he finds this out, he will not want to speak to me.
...We know that, as you come to the next intersection, you have to go to the left.
...He testified that, after a hard day on his job, he liked to have a beer or two.
If the element we are adding is very short, we do not want any commas.
...I expect that by Friday he will not want to speak to me.
...We know that there you have to go to the left.
...He testified that after that he liked to have a beer or two.
This is a situation in which one comma simply will not work. You may not separate one part of the clause from the rest of it. This construction -- that is, an element inserted into the middle of a that clause -- has to be surrounded by commas or have no commas at all.
And adding a second that or omitting that altogether or putting that in another place does not alter the punctuation. That is simply “bad grammar to which we are applying good punctuation.”
...I know that, after he left the firm, it began to go downhill.
...I know that, after he left the firm, that it began to go downhill.
...I know, after he left the firm, that it began to go downhill.
...I know, after he left the firm, it began to go downhill.
I am well aware that this thinking on this construction goes against the thinking of some of the experts. I would simply like someone to step forward and explain how the single comma works with the grammar.
If you don’t like this --
...She recognized that, he was too young --
then you cannot like this:
...She recognized that when she saw him, he was too young.
Happy punctuating!
Margie