Need punctuation help, please

[paintnolish]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/01/
Number 3!

 

[Imzadi]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/01/
Number 3!

Ah, #11 is the reason I've gone comma happy:

"11. Use commas wherever necessary to prevent possible confusion or misreading."

Here, on the DIS, that could be any sentence.

 

[PollyannaMom]

No commas are needed around the name Jamie because the name is necessary in that sentence. It is necessary because you have more than one daughter (the sentence mentions placing the *girls* in daycare).
However, if Jamie is the only daughter, then there should be commas around her name in that sentence, because her name would be superfluous. Just mentioning 'daughter' is sufficient because if there is only one daughter, the sentence is obviously about only-daughter Jamie.

This is correct. You do not need the commas around Jamie. (But the rest of the sentence looks good.)

 

[Andy B]

This is correct. You do not need the commas around Jamie. (But the rest of the sentence looks good.)

I disagree, the sentance ends 'into an organised daycare.'

An organised daycare what? facility? or 'into organised daycare.'

 

[antmaril]

I was an administrative assistant for 36 years. I would put commas around Jamie. This is something I was taught many years ago. Jamie is not necessary to the sentence.

 

[Cindy B]

Nothing around Jamie. Daughter and Jamie are the same thing.

 

[Golf4food]

I think there should be commas between every word. Commas, for, everyone!

 

[DizBelle]

Wow - so many folks believe the opposite things...

I think it is grammatically correct for there to be commas around "Jamie".

 

[kaytieeldr]

I was an administrative assistant for 36 years. I would put commas around Jamie. This is something I was taught many years ago. Jamie is not necessary to the sentence.

Well, actually, the name IS necessary in this case; subsequent information in the sentence indicates the writer has more than one daughter.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think there should be commas between every word. Commas, for, everyone!

Better. Than. The. Annoying. Trend. Of. Periods. Being. Used. After. Every. Single. Word. For. Emphasis

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Actually, I prefer dashes (--) first, commas (,) second and then periods (.)

Now let the debate start about whether a comma should be used before the word "and" in a sentence listing multiple items.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I posed the question to my grammar-centric user group. First, I will quote my exact question:

Which version is correct, or are they both:

"Soon after my daughter, Jamie, was born, my husband and I needed to place our girls into an organized daycare." or "Soon after my daughter Jamie was born, my husband and I needed to place our girls into an organized
daycare."

1 Since there's more than one daughter, I would say that the second version is correct, because it distinguishes daughter Jamie from daughter Billie.

2 The first version is correct.

3 I agree with (1) -- it depends on how many daughters you have.

4 I actually think that both are technically correct, depending on the intent of the speaker. If it is important that the listener know that Jamie is the newly born daughter, no commas. If it doesn't really matter, set it off (or omit it entirely).

5 The Chicago Manual of Style agrees with (1).

6 I agree with The Chicago Manual of Style and (1), not necessarily in that
order.

Now the discussion is heading off into less-related tangents, discussing the sentence/thought. I have no idea how that happens. It would NEVER happen here on the DIS

 

[OK!]

I'm comma challenged, too. I think I tend to put in more than are necessary. I used to have good grammar. But somehow, the synapses in my brain, especially in the comma department have fizzled.

I thought you were supposed to put commas around Jamie, too, as it is not necessary to the sentence. "Soon after my daughter was born, my husband and I needed to place our girls into an organized daycare."

Oh, and do you put a comma before the word "too?" See my sentence above.

Yes to both.

 

[ElizK]

WOW!!! Three pages of contradicting answers! Well, I took the commas out. Made an executive decision.

Thank you all very much, for the answers AND the entertainment!

 

[kaytieeldr]

You're welcome. Feel free to PM me any time* with future questions. My group is really good. We generally don't attack individuals' grammar; instead, we tend to discuss missteps in public documents, or errors made by well-known persons. The only time we harass individuals is among ourselves

*Well, maybe any time is pushing things. Most likely, they wouldn't be willing to help with an entire paper but the occasional grammar, punctuation, or spelling question would be fine!