Optional commas.

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Akavall

#469188 Sat, 26 Jan 08 10:56 PM

I, of course, think that using correct grammar is important.
I, however, think that using correct grammar is important.
I, therefore, think that using correct grammar is important.

Are the commas in the above sentences optional? If so, what difference do they make?

Akavall

Joined on Sat, Nov 24 2007

Full Member (137)

Commas, Grammar

Yankee

#469190 Sat, 26 Jan 08 11:11 PM

Personally, I think I'd always use the commas in the first two, but I don't think I'd ever use commas in the third one.

I'll be interested in seeing what others think.

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,011)

Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

Commas

Verade

#469220 Sun, 27 Jan 08 04:26 AM

I agree, Yankee.

Verade

Joined on Mon, Dec 31 2007

Virginia USA

Full Member (180)

Vera-- "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." --Helen Keller

Commas

Akavall

#469413 Sun, 27 Jan 08 04:26 PM

Yankee, Verade

My reasoning was that "I think that using correct grammar is important." makes perfect sense, so anything between "I" and "think" should (or could) be enclosed by the commas. It seems to be the case with "however" and "of course", but why are you treating "therefore" differently?

Akavall

Commas, Grammar

BW2/3

#469419 Sun, 27 Jan 08 04:48 PM

I would put commas between therefore because that gives a speaker a pause.

BW2/3

Joined on Sat, Oct 22 2005

Contributing Member (1,276)

人之初，性本善。性相近，习相远。

Commas

Yankee

#469540 Mon, 28 Jan 08 12:29 AM

I would put commas between therefore because that gives a speaker a pause.

The lack of a pause is precisely why I would not use a comma in the third sentence. I would not pause there -- probably because that is not an unusual location in that sentence for the word 'therefore'.

However, the words 'of course' and 'however' definitely interrupt the sentence when inserted in the middle of "I think", and I would pause before and after if I inserted those words in that particular place when speaking.

Yankee

Before and After, Commas

Akavall

#469821 Mon, 28 Jan 08 05:37 PM

Yankee, thanks for your help, but I am still not sure what is going on here.

Should the commas be left out in the following two sentences?

I consequently think that using correct grammar is important.
I thus think that using correct grammar is important.

"consequently" and "thus" are synonyms of "therefore", but I don't know whether they should be treated the same grammar-wise.

Akavall

Commas, Grammar, Synonyms

Yankee

#469837 Mon, 28 Jan 08 06:16 PM

Hi Akavall

I would not use commas with consequently in that position. I doubt that I would insert the word 'thus' into the middle of "I think", but if I did, I would not use commas there either.

To me, the only possible reason to use commas with 'however' (in your sentence) would be if someone else had just given an opinion different from mine, and I then wanted to stress the word 'I' -- i.e. to place extra emphasis on the fact that there is a difference between what I think and what they think.

Yankee

Commas, Difference between

Akavall

#469939 Mon, 28 Jan 08 11:38 PM

Yankee wrote:
Hi Akavall
To me, the only possible reason to use commas with 'however' (in your sentence) would be if someone else had just given an opinion different from mine, and I then wanted to stress the word 'I' -- i.e. to place extra emphasis on the fact that there is a difference between what I think and what they think.