Let’s keep it simple: If the words after “yes” and “no” echo/repeat the words of the question, use a comma. …Did you clock in that morning as usual? …Yes, I did. …No, I did not. …Were you with your brother? …Yes, I was with my brother. …No, I wasn’t. Use a period for everything else. …Did you clock in that …
A Comma Before a Quote?
A question from a reporter today is in regard to placing a comma before a quote when the quote surrounds a word that is being defined. So let’s look at the rule for quoting and the rule for the comma: When a word or words are being defined, they are quoted in reporting. (By the way, in formal English they …
The Story of “Whereas” and “Although”
So often we see whereas and although incorrectly punctuated with a semicolon in front and a comma after as in …was seen with him; although, she did not… …was seen with him; whereas, she did not…. This punctuation implies that these words are conjunctions (conjunctive adverbs) that start a new sentence. Instead, whereas and although are conjunctions (subordinate conjunctions) that …
About that Intro Prepositional Phrase
Here is one of the questions asked about the intro prepositional phrase and the comma, and here is my answer. We were talking about a short prepositional phrase at the beginning of the sentence that is a simple modifier. That prepositional phrase does not need a comma. What about those instances where a short prepositional [phrase] at the beginning of …
More on the Prepositional Phrase at the Beginning of the Sentence
We said earlier that a short prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence that is just a simple modifier does NOT take a comma. Let’s look at what prepositional phrases do take a comma. RULE: Put a comma after a “long” prepositional phrase. (Though there is no set number of words to necessarily count, the dividing line is somewhere …
What Do I Do with “My question is where are you going?”
When there are two parts to the sentence, one that makes a statement (…my question is…) and one that asks a question (…where are you going…), it is the one at the end that determines the terminal punctuation. So there is an interrog at the end of this sentence. We have question word order. It is a question. I would …
Prepositional Phrase at the Beginning of the Sentence
So let’s talk prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence. What if this prepositional phrase is just a simple modifier, a simple adverb modifier? …On Monday we will begin the new program. …On April 9 he came in and resigned. …In the afternoon I had the responsibility to gather them together. …Before the contract we had to go in …