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b5c3b.htf
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1997-03-31
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906b
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125 lines
B5C3b
Commas for Clarity
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A comma can be used to make the meaning clear or to help
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avoid misreading.
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Sally spoke to Ruth, and Tom spoke to George.
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I told Mary, Jane was missing.
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What I say I will do, I do.
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Notice how the comma is used to avoid ambiguous (more
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than one) meaning:
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He ran the course zigzagging up the hill.
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He ran the course, zigzagging up the hill.
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Because of comma placement,
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zigzagging
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(a terminal
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participle) modifies
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course
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in the first example;
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zigzagging
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modifies
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ran
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in the last example.
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Related information
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Terminal Participles
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