Reviews from

The Comma - part one.

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30 total reviews 
Comment from Wendy G
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Good on your daughter for mastering it. I find that a lot of writers use commas where there is need of a full stop. Most people would not understand "fronted adverbial", but your example clarifies. Well done.

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    The one that annoys me is using a full stop before closing speech marks when there's a following speech tag. The sentence isn't finished. use a comma! lol Many thanks, Wendy. G
Comment from estory
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Nice little essay on the mechanics of our English language. I thought it was clear and concise and well laid out. Good information and good examples accompany it. Sometimes we need to go back to basics on mechanics to make us better writers, cleaner writers. estory

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    Basics, for so many writers, should be the way to go. Style guides confuse things, but a school textbook! Much appreciated, as always. G
Comment from Ulla
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Hi Gareth, an interesting little piece and very informative, as well. I have been struggling with commas in the English language, but I'm getting there. Your examples are very informative. Ulla:)))

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    Many thanks Ulla. Hope you are well. This lockdown is a bugger, although I've been working the whole time. G
reply by Ulla on 25-Feb-2021
    Thank you, Gareth, I am absolutely fine. It is a bugger, but I'm lucky where I live. Plenty of sun in the mountains, land to work, walking my dog, the Med in the distanstance and no cases in my valley. But we are surrounded by it. So I only go shopping once a week when I need to stock up on food all else I get in my village of 200 souls. I'm lucky indeed. LOL
Comment from country ranch writer
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Commas are my down -fall that is for sure. It is something I don't think about when I write, I guess. It is a big help to me when folks point my bloopers out to me.
I really appreciate this dearly slag really drags me down. Tell your daughter she is very talented to be able to spot where her commas go. Great job there mom!

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    Many thanks. GMG
reply by country ranch writer on 26-Feb-2021
    🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Comment from royowen
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I was absolutely hopeless when I first started writing, the commas were something that served as my enemy. I've always been "literate", but never pause-wise literate. So I thank you for this Gareth. My granddaughter's nine, and she's very literate, writes a great story, not a bad dancer either. Bless you, Roy

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    The kid are awesome. My daughter picks it all up so well and then I do some reviewing and wonder what happened to us all! lol Many thanks, as always, Roy. G
reply by royowen on 25-Feb-2021
    A chip of the old block.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
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Thank you for sharing this. Just so you know, I hate commas too. They always trip me up.

'I packed swimming trunks, towel, sunscreen and spare clothes for the trip.' (I've been taught that a comma goes before the and. I just double checked three of my books and each one said the comma comes before and in a series.)

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 22-Feb-2021
    That's a US convention or when employing the Oxford comma. It's not always applicable though.
Comment from damommy
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Good for her! She sounds like a very smart girl. I don't have any problems with commas. It's the semi-colon I never use because I can never figure out when to do so. Maybe you could write about that. 8-)

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    Semi-colons are pointless. There's always something else that can do their job. they never really HAVE to be used! lol Many thanks, Yvonne. G
reply by damommy on 25-Feb-2021
    I'm glad you said that. I never use them. Now, I know it's okay not to. 8-)
Comment from Suzanna Ray
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Dear G, This post was gladly received, I have never heard of a fronted adverbial.
The most helpful thing in this whole essay, were your excellent examples and explanations. I definitely will bookcase this one.

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 25-Feb-2021
    I'd not hear the term either but I understand the rule! Many thanks G
Comment from kmoss
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This is pretty funny and educational. I used to be the annoying grammar person in my group of friends. Notice I said USED to be. Since I started following my passion for writing(finally), I have been grammatically humbled. I am no longer THAT annoying person. My first review from a random internet genius was from someone who changed my commas into semicolons-what an ass(bad pun intended)! Lol. Give me a break I graduated in 1998 and haven't studied since! But I am a fast learner so I remember my lessons.
I enjoyed reading this even if I didn't pay enough attention to learn anything!

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 22-Feb-2021
    I always wet myself laughing when folk change things to the semi-colon. It is the most pointless piece of punctuation imaginable. there is never actually any reason to use it. Its purpose can be done by other punctuation. lol
reply by kmoss on 22-Feb-2021
    Yeah I was like ?well I haven?t used one of those since middle school.? But I tired it out and was like wtf is the point? Lol
Comment from nancy_e_davis
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Surprisingly enough, I knew all that, but I still mess up sometimes in an effort to type out what I am saying before I forget what I wanted to say! HAHAHA. Good job, Gareth, and a big help to those of us who need the home schooling.
Nancy:)

 Comment Written 22-Feb-2021


reply by the author on 22-Feb-2021
    I think we all still mess up from time to time. G