Punctuation, it...matters.

[NotWise]

Grammarly, my archnemesis, pronounces the comma in this sentence to be unnecessary. Is it right?

He listened and nodded but asked few questions, as if nothing in her account were remarkable or even surprising.

I can't think of a reason why a comma would be required there, but it would probably seem natural if I came across it while reading.

I've rewritten sentences in some cases where I want that pause, but can't think of any other justification for the comma. Your sentence might become:

He listened and nodded but asked few questions. It was as if nothing in her account were remarkable or even surprising.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Grammarly, my archnemesis, pronounces the comma in this sentence to be unnecessary. Is it right?

He listened and nodded but asked few questions, as if nothing in her account were remarkable or even surprising.

I think it's needed to sustain the rhythm of the sentence - which isn't the same thing as a hard grammar rule.

 

[SamScribble]

I took the classes and read the books. But the person who really taught me about punctuation was a grizzly old sub-editor named Ernie.

After subbing my first submission to a well-known journal, he announced that he had ‘seen worse. Far worse.

‘Just keep in mind,’ he said, ‘punctuation has but one purpose: to smooth the way from the writer’s intention to the reader’s understanding. No more. No less.’

And then he retreated to his cubby hole.

 

[SimonDoom]

Grammarly, my archnemesis, pronounces the comma in this sentence to be unnecessary. Is it right?

He listened and nodded but asked few questions, as if nothing in her account were remarkable or even surprising.

My take is that Grammarly is making an error here, because it's interpreting the phrase after the comma as being linked to and modifying "asked few questions," when in fact the phrase after the comma modifies everything that comes before. I think a comma is appropriate. Also, it's a nonessential dependent clause, which favors a comma.

 

[TadOverdon]

Thanks.

 

[Athalia]

There's something I half remember from James Thurber's book The Years with Ross, where an editor asked him to defend the use of a comma in the sentence "After dinner, the group repaired to the den for brandy and cigars" (or something like that). Thurber said that it gave the men time to push back their chairs and stand up.

 

[Ezeerider]

My take is that Grammarly is making an error here, because it's interpreting the phrase after the comma as being linked to and modifying "asked few questions," when in fact the phrase after the comma modifies everything that comes before. I think a comma is appropriate. Also, it's a nonessential dependent clause, which favors a comma.

Bingo, Doomster, thank you, and Athalia's Thurber reference was the icing on the cake.

Again, peeps, if you want to not only avoid all the angst and uncertainty - and rejections - just invest in at least one style manual. Almost all editors insist on them, while the number of editors who would even reference one of these online apps remains at zero. If you want to get into the profession, then be professional.

I can't think of a faster, more direct route to a rejection slip than to offer a whine of "But Grammarly said..."

 

[TadOverdon]

Okay, I got one: how would you punctuate "How dare you?" Technically it's a question, but in most usage (including my current bit of dialogue) it's used as a challenge, an accusatory sort of exclamation.

The Google collective consciousness is of the "reply hazy, try again later" persuasion. My bias is that it be punctuated as a question Because Something. But I never really hear it come out of someone's mouth as other than an angry rhetorical question.

Please, no politics.

 

[SimonDoom]

Okay, I got one: how would you punctuate "How dare you?" Technically it's a question, but in most usage (including my current bit of dialogue) it's used as a challenge, an accusatory sort of exclamation.

The Google collective consciousness is of the "reply hazy, try again later" persuasion. My bias is that it be punctuated as a question Because Something. But I never really hear it come out of someone's mouth as other than an angry rhetorical question.

Please, no politics.

It depends on the context, but most of the time I would use an exclamation mark, not a question mark.

Pronounce the sentence. Like me, you probably put the emphasis on the second word, not the last, as one would usually do with a question. The word "how" makes it look like a question, but it really isn't. It's not at all like the sentence/question: "Do you dare?" In that sentence one puts the emphasis on the last word, and it's clearly a question.

I believe the Chicago Manual of Style supports use of an exclamation mark. Section 6.72 (Exclamation rather than question) gives these two examples: "How could you possibly believe that!" and "When will I ever learn!"

 

[jehoram]

Okay, I got one: how would you punctuate "How dare you?" Technically it's a question, but in most usage (including my current bit of dialogue) it's used as a challenge, an accusatory sort of exclamation.

This is where we need the interrobang, a punctuation symbol that was introduced a long time ago. It looks like a conflated "!" and "?" and substitutes for both.

But since it hasn't yet been approved by the Powers That Be, I guess you could work around the lack by the judicious use of capitals: "How DARE you?"

Or just go with "How dare you!" The intent is clear. It's not really a question.

Which reminds me of a classic John Prine lyric:

"Will you come see me tomorrow?"
"No, I got too much to do."
Well, a question ain't really a question
If you know the answer, too

 

[TadOverdon]

It depends on the context, but most of the time I would use an exclamation mark, not a question mark.

Pronounce the sentence. Like me, you probably put the emphasis on the second word, not the last, as one would usually do with a question. The word "how" makes it look like a question, but it really isn't. It's not at all like the sentence/question: "Do you dare?" In that sentence one puts the emphasis on the last word, and it's clearly a question.

I believe the Chicago Manual of Style supports use of an exclamation mark. Section 6.72 (Exclamation rather than question) gives these two examples: "How could you possibly believe that!" and "When will I ever learn!"

I'm more than happy to defer to Chicago. Thank you!

This is where we need the interrobang, a punctuation symbol that was introduced a long time ago. It looks like a conflated "!" and "?" and substitutes for both.

I didn't think of the interrobang, but I did think of that comic-book "!?" thing. Which I didn't consider doing for a second.