After “Yes” and “No”

Margie Wakeman WellsThe Comma 2 Comments

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 …

The Story of “Whereas” and “Although”

Margie Wakeman WellsThe Comma 2 Comments

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

Margie Wakeman WellsThe Comma, Uncategorized 2 Comments

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

Margie Wakeman WellsThe Comma 8 Comments

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 …

Prepositional Phrase at the Beginning of the Sentence

Margie Wakeman WellsThe Comma 7 Comments

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 …