one of, if not the comma

Some writers think they have to use them to set off everything ("comma … Sometimes, the omission of this serial comma… The mouse returned when we turned off the lights. There are conflicting rules, and I doubt you've come across a rule licensing parentheticals that link syntactically to the matrix sentence but thus give rise to ungrammaticality. “Radiohead is one of the great, if not the greatest, bands of all time.” <-- with 2nd comma, 2.) These are the words that can connect two independent clauses. A sentence can contain two independent clauses if they’re linked by a conjunction such as and, or, and but. When a conjunction (for example: and, or, and but) links two independent clauses, you need to put a comma before the conjunction. But fear not! However, this usage is so numerous that it is not incorrect. An independent clause can stand alone. We’re getting back to commas soon.). If so, add a comma as in this example: (or any other non-conjunctions that are joining clauses mid-sentence)? While commas are normally either required or not required, there’s one key instance when you can choose whether or not to use a comma – and either option is equally correct. Which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who, and whom are the most commonly used ones. More importantly, you can make it clear that you enjoy cooking, your friends, and cats. And that no, you don’t enjoy cooking your friends and cats. Peanut butter sandwiches (one type) and jam-and-banana sandwiches (second type). They also let us connect words, phrases, and clauses together to make longer sentences. There are conflicting rules, and I doubt you've come across a rule prioritising proximity agreement over 'the parentheticals never inform the grammar of the matrix sentence' mantra. Today's prompt is to write a tell blank poem. Understanding function of diminished chord in Paganini's 4th caprice, Device category between router and firewall (subnetting but nothing more). This cheat sheet will help explain exactly when commas and conjunctions should be used together, and why it matters (without—we hope—putting you into a comma-induced coma). Let’s take a closer look at each of these rules. One of the calls for a plural noun, while the calls for singular. 'It was one of' requires one of a number, so calls for: 'best experiences', however, the alternative: 'if not the' only calls for a singular, which would be: 'best experience', and thus we have a contradiction. The trick is knowing how to properly use commas and conjunctions together. These are the words that can connect two independent clauses. It must have both a subject and a verb. Others may refer to the comma before and as a serial or Harvard comma. To take your example: That means that if the only comma your sentence is going to have is the one you put in after the initial conjunction, you should remove it. Compact object and compact generator in a category. Was the theory of special relativity sparked by a dream about cows being electrocuted? For the 2020 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, poets write a poem a day in the month of November before assembling a chapbook manuscript in the month of December. He's the author of Solving the World's Problems, Smash Poetry Journal, and The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause. What was the most critical supporting software for COBOL on IBM mainframes? Enter your email for word fun in your inbox every day. Either you do, or you don’t, right? In other words, it can stand alone as a sentence. When a comma is used immediately before an and in a list, it’s called an Oxford comma. “Radiohead is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, bands of all time.” <-- with 2nd comma. That clauses after nouns are always essential. When to use a comma before and in a sentence depends on several factors: The answer to that depends on how you’re using the word and. By this notion, the word "experience" should be plural, as the word "of" should be matched with "experiences.". ", USC has faced its share of adversity this season by Michael Vega, "...it was one of, if not the best job in America. Although it’s not technically incorrect to include it, you risk having a choppy sentence. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. MAINTENANCE WARNING: Possible downtime early morning Dec 2/4/9 UTC (8:30PM…, “Question closed” notifications experiment results and graduation. Today's prompt is to write an explanation poem. is a word that is used to refer back to a previously mentioned noun. When we turned off the lights is the dependent adverbial clause, and the mouse returned is an independent clause. I'm very happy with my @comma_ai product on my Toyota corolla 2017. For the 2020 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, poets write a poem a day in the month of November before assembling a chapbook manuscript in the month of December. The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets. And it’s no wonder. Is it possible for a vertebrate creature to have a ribcage/chest mouth? Today's prompt is to write a bird poem. In addition to the conjunctions mentioned way above, there are also coordinating conjunctions. Is it really so hard to insert a serial comma at the end of both lists? If you join them together with only a comma, they form a comma splice. In fact, the Oxford comma is a hotly debated point in modern grammar, and ultimately, it comes down to a stylistic choice. Who can use spell-scrolls done by a bard using his 'Magic Secrets' ability? 4.) If it really makes you uncomfortable, you could change it to one of the greatest bands, if not the greatest band, of all time. Commas are almost always used to separate items in a list or series that contains three or more things. This topic is usually covered in a usage dictionary, such as Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, in an entry on "one of the ... if not the". Commas separate ideas, add pauses, and help you to list things clearly. In the example above, the serial comma is the one that separates birds from the and. If so that can be used without changing the meaning, then you will want to skip the comma. © 2020 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved. Sandwiches are not a big deal, but let’s assume I wrote my will to say, “I leave my entire estate to my children Christopher, Patrick and Victoria.” Correlative conjunctions always come in pairs and they relate one part of the sentence to the other. is an independent clause, because it can stand alone as its own sentence. It is dependent upon the clause in the beginning of the sentence to make sense. When creating a list of three or more simple words, items, or concepts, use a comma to separate each word or word group. The answer is B. I went to the beach so I could get a better view of the sunset, I went to the beach so that I could get a better view of the sunset, , it all depends on the emphasis you are looking for. Whether it comes before and or elsewhere in a sentence, following basic comma rules can make using this misunderstood punctuation mark a breeze. "It was one of, if not the, best experience[s] of my life.". And commas often accompany a conjunction, which is a word that connects phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., and, because, but, and however) or any other words or expressions that provide a similar function (e.g., in any case). Let's look at this example: We invited my parents, Thomas and Nancy. If so, add a comma as in this example: Did you use a dependent adverbial clause after an independent clause? After all, you know what a comma is: the punctuation used to mark a division in a sentence, like the separation of words, phrases, a clause, or a sequence. How to golf evaluation of math expression in MySQL? Oxford comma: She reads young adult, science fiction, and nonfiction.No Oxford comma: She reads young adult, science fiction and nonfiction.