698 days ago
As I continue to pore over blog entries, marketing speak, RFI copy, and whatever else contains words, the comma always poses issues. I often wonder if I remember my English classes wrong or if everyone else is incorrect. I’m not perfect by any means (and I’m sure there are stunning misuses in this fine blog), but I generally know the common uses of a comma. More often than not, I’d rather rewrite passages than wrangle with poor copy that eludes proper use anyway. Here are some areas in need of a refresher course:
1) Serial commas. I’m a big fan and so is The Chicago Manual of Style. It wasn’t until I entered the world of advertising that I learned the serial comma was frowned upon. What is it about the serial comma? Does it take up too much precious real estate on a page? Is it too hard to remember? Did a huge herd of copywriters in the workforce never learn the rule? Seriously, it’s not difficult. And in fact, if you do use serial commas, it’s easier. You don’t have to make up other rules for sticky sentences that may cause ambiguity. Of course, even the serial comma allegedly causes ambiguity anyway. Who knew.
I can never decide if I want to knit, sew, or make jewelry.
The man ordered BBQ pork, cole slaw, and macaroni and cheese.
Mom was gurgling, dad was snoring, and sissy was giggling.
2) Coordinating conjunctions and independent clauses. I can look past the serial comma (so long as the rule is followed consistently throughout a piece), but a missing comma from a compound sentence downright hurts my feelings. If a clause can stand alone as a sentence itself, it is an independent clause. String two of them together with a conjunction (and, but, or, so, etc.), and you have a compound sentence. What must go in front of that conjunction? A comma. If you choose not to use a conjunction, you may use a semicolon or even an em dash. The only acceptable time to omit the comma from this usage is if the independent clauses are very short and closely related.
I can look past serial commas, but a missing comma hurts my feelings.
Either add a coordinating conjunction after the comma, or replace it with a semicolon or em dash.
String two independent clauses together, and you have a compound sentence.
The boy sang and the girl hummed along.
3) Comma splices. This is an occurrence I honestly don’t see too often. A comma splice happens when two independent clauses are merely strung together by a comma, no conjunction. Again, the comma is not forceful enough punctuation to stand alone in this scenario. Either add a coordinating conjunction after the comma, or replace it with a semicolon or em dash.
4) Compound predicates. To refresh, a predicate contains the verb; it describes what the subject is doing or what is happening to the subject. In a compound predicate, there are two or more verbs separated by a conjunction. These are not independent clauses since they cannot stand alone. Hence, a comma is not used between the parts of a compound predicate.
I read up on the basics and apply them in my everyday writing.
He won’t run with the dog but will take him to the dog park.
She shouldn’t stay up late or consume too much caffeine.
5) Separating dependent clauses from independent clauses. In simplest terms, a dependent clause cannot stand on its own and typically starts with words such as if, when, or because. If a dependent clause starts a sentence, a comma must follow it before the independent clause starts. If an independent clause starts the sentence, no comma is needed to separate the two clauses. However, there are nonrestrictive clauses (not essential to the meaning) where a comma would still be necessary even if the independent clause is the lead-in.
If you choose not to use a conjunction, you may use a semicolon or even an em dash.
It is an independent clause when it can stand on its own as a full sentence.
Everyone should relearn the basics, if you want my opinion.
There are many more uses of the comma, and some are listed below. And even the sore spots I mentioned above are by no means the best or most complete explanations. Always seek Chicago for guidance.
a) Parenthetical phrases (introductory phrases, appositives, interjections, etc.)
b) Geographic locations
c) Dates
d) Names
e) Before quotes
f) Between adjectives
These are (some of) the rules—as you were.
835 days ago
Thanks to lowindustrial for this call-out:
Something so tiny, so unassuming, yet so annoying and so maddening. Straight quotes versus curly quotes, or whatever you want to call them, enter my life on a daily basis. And I have to be the hardass with a red pen to mark them up in layout, whether print or web, each and every time.
845 days ago
As of late, the usage of the hyphen, en dash, and em dash (and their ultimate confusion) has been maddening. And to make sure I was using them each correctly, I consulted The Chicago Manual of Style. Yep, I still understand them properly. It seems that copywriters and designers aren’t so sure, though.
Let’s make it easy, shall we? (My brief tutorial certainly won’t replace Chicago’s explanation, so for more details, that manual reigns supreme.)
First off, a hyphen, en dash, or em dash should be set closed (no character space before or after). At least not in traditional copy.
However—yes, I’m already going against guidelines—in advertising, many rules are broken, and this is no exception. I do find in design layouts, having the space on either side of an en or em dash is easier on the eyes:
Bullets/line lists, particularly when defining a term:
Dog – An animal that barks and fetches tennis balls.
Cat – An animal that meows and bathes incessantly.
Headline:
CALL NOW — Offer lasts a limited time!
These examples serve a functional purpose, but aesthetics generally win out. Again, this is advertising speak, and is more or less my opinion based on the plethora of direct mail packages, brochures, collateral, and catalogs I’ve proofed over the years. Not to mention, those dashes could easily be exchanged with a colon or even a comma without altering meaning. Whatever the punctuation in these cases, it has more to do with style and appearance than functionality.
The Hyphen
Despite my personal exception to the rules regarding en and em dashes, hyphens never have spaces before or after. Why? Because hyphens are used either in compound words/phrases or to break up characters:
much-needed haircut
21-year-old
hour-long commute
My name is Jennifer, spelled J-E-N-N-I-F-E-R.
1-800-555-5555
www.merriam-webster.com
The when and where to use a hyphen in compound words/phrases is more particular and in some cases subjective, so I won’t get into that here. Otherwise, a hyphen’s place is pretty simple.
The En Dash
The majority of an en dash’s usage is in ranges of numbers, dates, or times. It signifies the word “to”:
1990–1995
4:30–5:00 PM
2,000–2,500 sq. ft.
Tuesday–Thursday
pages 4–10
In rare instances, the en dash is used in compound phrases—a usage I recently educated myself on. The best way for me to describe it is when a multiple word phrase is hooked up with another single word or multiple word phrase, either an open compound or hyphenated compound:
San Francisco–based companies
Lady Gaga–esque attire
pre–World War II
Louisiana crab–and-crawfish salad
Since you wouldn’t put a hyphen in between all the words, e.g., San-Francisco-based, the en dash is employed for clearer differentiation.
The hyphen–en dash debacle remains my biggest headache simply because 95% of the time hyphens are used in lieu of en dashes. (And that’s not including the little-known usage in compound phrases as mentioned above.) Understandably, it’s easy to find the hyphen key, but it is incorrect. On a Mac, the quick key is Option-Dash[-].
The Em Dash
The em dash is essentially used within a sentence to set off or amplify a phrase, indicate a sudden break, or separate subjects from pronouns. A sentence should never contain more than two em dashes.
I enjoy certain social networks—Flickr, Twitter, Ravelry—but others I could do without.
Flickr, Twitter, Ravelry—these are social networks I participate in.
However—yes, I’m already going against guidelines—there are exceptions in advertising.
What the—?
Another headache because in these instances, a double hyphen would be employed. Though word processing programs are becoming more intuitive with the double hyphen, to my knowledge, graphic design programs do not know the difference. On the Mac, try this on for size: Option-Shift-Dash[-].
I like the use of em dashes, but they also can be substituted with commas, parentheses, or a colon, depending on usage. Again, please refer to Chicago for more obscure uses as well as usage with other punctuation.
Funny that when I referred to the manual for guidance, I discovered the 2-em and 3-em dashes. That’s a whole ’nother ball of wax.