Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

Prepositional Phrases at the Beginning

When two prepositional phrases come at the beginning of a sentence, without regard to how long or short each is, there is usually a comma after the second one. ...At the beginning of the night, we...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

Interesting Construction with Dashes and Questions

This is a sentence I was asked about on Facebook. And I have it correctly punctuated here. Have there been any major stressful events in the last year that you can think of -- divorce? someone, a ...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

Beware of the Dependent Clause That Tries to Deceive You!

This is an issue that is VERY misunderstood. I am copying here the section from my book, beginning on page 401 in the chapter on "Where NOT to Put Punctuation." Normally, I do not copy an entire se...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

Live Seminars Right Here in Los Angeles

Have you noticed that we don't seem to get conventions here in Los Angeles? Why doesn't NCRA come here? Well, we won't go into the possible answers for that question. Instead, here you go! August ...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

The Word "Please"

The word please takes punctuation according to where it is in relation to what it modifies. At the beginning of what it modifies, it takes no punctuation after it. ...Please put that notice into ...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

A "Redefining" with "That Is"

Here is a punctuation question from FB that inspired today's blog: "On examination her lower extremities had normal capillary refill -- that is, normal circulation -- and no trophic changes, in ot...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

After "Yes" and "No"

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 yo...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

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 tha...
Category_MWW Blog>The Comma

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. RUL...