Commas to avoid ambiguity
Use commas to clarify meaning and avoid ambiguity in sentences where the absence of a comma could cause misreading
What a learner can do afterwards
- Insert a comma to prevent ambiguity, e.g. 'Let's eat, Grandma' vs 'Let's eat Grandma' or 'Most of the time, travellers worry about their bags'
- Identify sentences where a missing comma changes the meaning and explain the two possible readings
- Use commas after introductory elements (adverbial phrases, subordinate clauses) to prevent misreading of the main clause
1 · Read
Sometimes a missing comma changes who you are talking to, or even who gets eaten. One tiny comma can save a sentence from a very confusing meaning.
"Let's eat, Grandma" means you are inviting Grandma to eat. "Let's eat Grandma" means you want to eat Grandma. The comma is the only thing standing between a dinner invite and a monster movie.
Commas do this after introductory words too. "Most of the time, travellers worry about their bags" says travellers usually worry about bags. Without the comma, a reader might stumble and read "the time travellers" as one phrase, like time-travelling tourists.
When a sentence starts with a describing phrase or clause, add a comma before the main part. It tells the reader: this introduction is done, here comes the main idea.
A comma after an introduction, or before a name you're speaking to, stops readers from misreading your sentence.
2 · Watch
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