I often see writers place a comma after 'that.' Not sure whether this is correct, because what follows is essential information. John said that, despite the expense and work involved, the contract wasn't worth it. Valerie said that, in 1969, her parents were married at Woodstock. My druthers are: John said that despite the expense and work involved, the contract wasn't worth it. Valerie said that in 1969 her parents were married at Woodstock. Do you agree with my versions? Thanks. Sent from my iPhone 4S
google for 'comma after that?' from now on, why don't you google first, before asking questions you can easily find answers to on your own?
Please don't flame the guy for asking interesting questions that he could get the answers to somewhere else. @dillseed's questions lead me to examine grammar and punctuation issues I hadn't thought of before, and in at least one instance, my usual method turned out to be wrong. Pretty much any question asked here could be answered at Google (or a better search engine), and almost everyone is irritated by RTFM replies.
Thanks, Steve... I think the underlying insinuation (not by you) is indolence on my part, but that's not the case. I ask questions that the majority of style guides don't address. If someone doesn't want to answer a question that I post, he or she doesn't have to answer it, rather than taking the time to type "You could have Googled this." My intent has never been to irritate anyone.
stevesh... i don't see how simply suggesting he try googling first to be 'flaming' by any stretch of the imagination... and, since dillseed said he has never done so, it would certainly seem to have been a helpful suggestion... am i supposed to know what 'RTFM' means?
It's possible that 'flaming' was the wrong word, but as I said later, almost every question asked here that isn't just a request for an opinion can be answered by using a search engine. Take all those questions away and this forum would be a slim shadow of its current self. RTFM (Read The [Flippin'] Manual) is an abbreviation used as a shorthand answer to posts in forums dealing with computer software or hardware when the replier thinks the OP shouldn't have asked the question. Many think such replies are rude, and few people bother to visit said forums after a few of those.
maia does have a point. I've had to Google some of these questions because I wasn't 100% sure what the answers were. Google is very helpful in such matters.
Should have Googled it imo. Only joking! Seriously though, Dillseed's questions, and everybody's answers, have been pretty useful and interesting. Surely not many of us would have known the answers to all of his questions.
Hi mammamaia, Respectfully, I agree with stevesh. I myself, sometimes, have a question. I can quest the internet to find the answer, but I prefer to ask it in the forum so that a conversation is created between writers. In this manner, I can find the correct answer, and others can discuss about the subject for a while. Also, may the answer be usable for somebody else
This is how I've been taught. It depends on the context. Can the message still be given if you block the phrase between the commas? For me, the correct choices would be the top phrase of the second set of example and the bottom phrase of the first set of examples. Why? Because we really need to know why the contract wasn't worth it, which is why it wouldn't make sense if we mentally blocked it away. We could easily block the specific year Valerie's parents were married, so they go in between commas. Hope that helps!
