Repeating for Clarification

"If" versus "Whether" Reading Repeating for Clarification 1 minute Next A What? A Nominative Absolute

When the same word is repeated with the same meaning, the rule is that there is a comma between the words.

...It was really hard, hard to let her go.
...All he does is work, work, work.
...She feels a need to just talk, talk, talk all the time.

When the same word is repeated for clarification or definition, for lack of a better description, the first time it is quoted with no comma.

...He wasn't really "wrong" wrong.
...She is a life coach, not really a "therapist" therapist.
...I don't consider it a "home" home.

Happy punctuating!

Margie