In elementary school, we ought to have been taught about the miraculous works that can be achieved through the use of the comma. After that, the gramatically-minded teacher should have invoked fire and brimstone to tell you all of the horrors of improper comma use. Just consider this example I found:
"Then with torches lit and red crosses in hand, all the friars went to the refectory to dinner, and while they ate someone preached from the pulpit."
Or...
"Then with torches lit and red crosses in hand, all the friars went to the refectory to dinner, and while they ate someone, preached from the pulpit."
Let no mistakes be made.
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2 comments:
I must confess, commas are one part of the English language that I never quite mastered. I always end up with way too many or not nearly enough. Here's my attempt to fix the sentence... but it's probably too heavy on the commas.
"Then, with torches lit and red crosses in hand, all the friars went to the refectory for dinner, and while they ate, someone preached from the pulpit."
Unless, of course, they were eating someone as they preached from the pulpit, which I hope is not the case.
Commas are easy with the shotgun method. If you think there could be one, add one. It does not matter whether or not one actually belongs; no one will see through the damage dealt by the gunshot.
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