Please help with comma in dialoq.

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Market

#331589 Wed, 21 Feb 07 02:25 AM

need some help proff reading some phrases. if i put ( ) it means i'm confused, should i place a comma or not.

1. "But she's right ( ) where would I go?"

2."Boy ( ) you must be lost."

3."Oh, one more thing ( ) can you cook?"

4."Of course, but first ( ) you see ( ) I was hoping for some sort of reward for my troubles."

5. "Yeah! They took her ( ) and it's all your fault."

6."You'd better change your attitude ( ) or your friends will never show up."

7."When they come back ( ) they' re going to know it's us."

8. "Are you going to let us through ( ) or do I have to call the police?"

9."Hey, you can laugh about this tomorrow ( ) but right now ( ) we need to leave."

10."Sometimes( ) but at least I tried."

11."I filled it out a month ago ( ) and as you can see ( ) every thing is in order."

Market

Joined on Wed, Oct 18 2006

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Commas

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Grammar Geek

#331636 Wed, 21 Feb 07 05:04 AM

Market, write them the way you THINK they go, and we'll take a look. (Some of them, like #1, can't use a comma. Either a dash, or a period and then a capital W to start the new sentence.)

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Barbara, who answers in American English.

Commas

Market

#331765 Wed, 21 Feb 07 02:36 PM

ok , I'll try. I'll put "A" besides the ones that I know need a cooma, and I'll place "B" besides the ones I need explainations to understand why there's a comma.

1. "But she's right ( , where would I go?" -B

2."Boy ( , you must be lost." -A

3."Oh, one more thing ( , can you cook?" -A

4."Of course, but first ( , you see ( , I was hoping for some sort of reward for my troubles." -A

5. "Yeah! They took her ( , and it's all your fault." -B

6."You'd better change your attitude ( , or your friends will never show up." -A

7."When they come back ( , they' re going to know it's us." -B (adverb introdutionary phrase)

8. "Are you going to let us through ( , or do I have to call the police?" -A

9."Hey, you can laugh about this tomorrow ( , but right now ( ) we need to leave." -B

10."Sometimes( , but at least I tried." -A

11."I filled it out a month ago ( , and as you can see ( , every thing is in order." -A

Market

Commas, Adverbs, Verbs

Grammar Geek

#331767 Wed, 21 Feb 07 02:45 PM

Hi Market,

Some aspects of punctuation are a matter of style, I believe. So here is what I would do.

Market wrote:

1. "But she's right ( , where would I go?" -B "But she's right - where would I go?" OR "But she's right. Where would I go?"

2."Boy ( , you must be lost." -Agree

3."Oh, one more thing ( , can you cook?" -A "Oh, one more thing: Can you cook?" or "Oh, one more thing - can you cook?"

4."Of course, but first ( , you see ( , I was hoping for some sort of reward for my troubles." -Agree

5. "Yeah! They took her ( , and it's all your fault." -B two independent clauses (they took her)(it's all your fault) joined by a conjunction - use the comma

6."You'd better change your attitude ( , or your friends will never show up." -Agree - same reasonaing as #5

7."When they come back ( , they' re going to know it's us." -B (adverb introdutionary phrase) Agree

8. "Are you going to let us through ( , or do I have to call the police?" -A Agree

9."Hey, you can laugh about this tomorrow ( , but right now ( ) we need to leave." -B I wold say the one after "now" is optional - it's an introductory phrase, but it's also short.

10."Sometimes( , but at least I tried." -A This seems okay, but since it's a fragment, it's hard to say.

11."I filled it out a month ago ( , and as you can see ( , every thing is in order." -Agree

Grammar Geek

Commas, Adverbs, Verbs, Punctuation, Clauses

Market

#331796 Wed, 21 Feb 07 04:24 PM

thanks you helped me out a lot.

Market

Commas