THe use of commas in writing

[mendezmorrain]

Hello Fellow Teachers,

I have a little problem that I would like to find an answer to.

Below are several sentences that maybe simplify the problem.

Which sentence is wrong?

#1 When Barry moved to Alsaka, he was ten.
#2 When Barry moved to Alaska he was ten.

#3 Unfortunately, he had already left his office when she arrived.
#4 Unfortunately, he had already left his office, when she arrived

#5 I like pineapple, pears and apples but not grapes.
#6 I like pineapple, pears, and apples, but not pears.

Let me know what you think
Sincerely
Ron

[bhaisahab]

Hello Fellow Teachers,

I have a little problem that I would like to find an answer to.

Below are several sentences that maybe simplify the problem.

Which sentence is wrong?

#1 When Barry moved to Alsaka, he was ten.
#2 When Barry moved to Alaska he was ten.

#3 Unfortunately, he had already left his office when she arrived.
#4 Unfortunately, he had already left his office, when she arrived

#5 I like pineapple, pears and apples but not grapes.
#6 I like pineapple, pears, and apples, but not pears.

Let me know what you think
Sincerely
Ron

#1, #4, #5 and #6 are all wrong.

[tedtmc]

Hello Fellow Teachers,

I have a little problem that I would like to find an answer to.

Below are several sentences that maybe simplify(illustrate?) the problem.

Which sentence is wrong?

#1 When Barry moved to Alsaka, he was ten.
#2 When Barry moved to Alaska he was ten.

#3 Unfortunately, he had already left his office when she arrived.
#4 Unfortunately, he had already left his office, when she arrived

#5 I like pineapple, pears and apples but not grapes.
#6 I like pineapple, pears, and apples, but not pears.

Let me know what you think
Sincerely
Ron

1, 3 & 5 are preferred.

not a teacher

[emsr2d2]

#1 When Barry moved to Alsaka, he was ten. Yes.
#2 When Barry moved to Alaska he was ten. No.

#3 Unfortunately, he had already left his office when she arrived. Yes.
#4 Unfortunately, he had already left his office, when she arrived. No.

#5 I like pineapple, pears and apples but not grapes. No.
#6 I like pineapple, pears, and apples, but not pears grapes. No.

Let me know what you think.
Sincerely
Ron

See above. As someone else said, 5 and 6 are both incorrect. Have another try at that one.

[bhaisahab]

Sorry, I meant #2 is wrong not #1.

[tedtmc]

What is wrong with #5?

[5jj]

What is wrong with #5?

"But not grapes" needs to be clearly separated from what goes before,

[tedtmc]

"But not grapes" needs to be clearly separated from what goes before,

Separated as in a separate sentence? Why can't it be in the same sentence?

[5jj]

Separated as in a separate sentence? Why can't it be in the same sentence?

It can, but it needs to be separated from the rest by a comma. There is a change of direction from liking to not liking

I like (1) pineapple, (2) pears and (3) apples, (change) but not grapes.

[emsr2d2]

In your 5th example, you had commas in all the right places except one:

I like pineapple, pears and apples, but not grapes.