Ramblings-n-Writings

Archive for November 24th, 2007

Wow! It’s hard to believe it’s time for WoA #3! And it is really hard to believe that Thanksgiving is over!!! Where has this year gone?

Well, this week we’re going to talk about two rules. One is somewhat simple and the other is more complicated but by request. Remember, if you have a question about commas, leave a comment and I’ll answer your question in my next WoA.

1. Commas and Dates

Okay, some of you are probably scratching your head wondering why we should talk about commas and dates. The rules are pretty basic, but one in particular gets abused a lot.

The first rule is that the day and the year are separated by a comma. For example: November 24, 2007. When the date stands alone, only one comma is necessary.

The second rule is that when the date is in the context of a sentence a comma goes after the year as well. For example: On November 23, 2007, we celebrated Thanksgiving.

The third rule (and the most abused) is when you have just the month and year, no comma is necessary. For example: November 2007 is correct. November, 2007 is not correct.

Personally, the third rule is a pet peeve of mine. If you start looking for that rule, I think some of you will be shocked at how often people get it wrong.

2. Commas and Restrictive and Non-restrictive Clauses

A request was made to review the rule about whether or not to use a comma before the words ‘which’ and ‘who.’ Unfortunately, this rule isn’t as defined as the date rule. The clause rule is slightly complicated because it requires understanding of the restrictive / non-restrictive meaning and usage.

A restrictive clause is a clause that is necessary for the meaning of the sentence and does not require commas. A non-restrictive clause is a clause that is not necessary for the meaning of the sentence and, therefore, requires commas. Let’s look at an example of each…

Restrictive: The lady who is blocking the doorway is my aunt.
Non-restrictive: Four-wheeler riding, which my husband enjoys greatly, can be a dangerous and sometimes deadly activity.

In the first example, the phrase ‘who is blocking the doorway’ is necessary for the meaning of the sentence. The phrase distinguishes the aunt from all the other ladies in the room making the phrase necessary or restrictive. (It restricts the meaning of ‘lady.’) In the second example, the phrase is not necessary for the meaning of the
sentence. In fact, that particular phrase is almost like a parenthetical insertion.

So, when it comes to deciding if you should or should not use commas with a clause, determine if the information is absolutely necessary.

Does it add pertinent details to the sentence? Would the reader still be able to determine who or what you are talking about if the phrase was not included?

Restrictives and non-restrictives can be tricky. My recommendation is to study what you read. Find some examples in your current novel, magazine or newspaper and then try and figure out why the commas are or are not being used. Let me know if this rule is still clear as mud!

Again, if you have any questions about commas or other grammatical areas, leave a comment and I’ll address it in the next WoA!