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Thread: punctiuation problem

  1. #1
    shabani is offline Member
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    Default punctiuation problem

    Hi all,
    I wonder how to put commas in this senntece: "When the Spanish car driver who had lifted my suitcases earlier in my hotel ignored me I was a little scared"

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: punctiuation problem

    Quote Originally Posted by shabani View Post
    "When the Spanish car driver who had lifted my suitcases earlier in my hotel ignored me I was a little scared"
    With one comma, it means that we are talking about a particular suitcase-lifting driver. With three, we are giving a little more information about a particular Spanish driver. You try one, or both, of these versions, and we'll comment.
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    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


  3. #3
    shabani is offline Member
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    Default Re: punctiuation problem

    This is how I put it:
    "When the Spanish car driver, who had lifted my suitcases earlier in my hotel, ignored me, I was a little scared"

  4. #4
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    bhaisahab is offline Moderator
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    Default Re: punctiuation problem

    Quote Originally Posted by shabani View Post
    This is how I put it:
    "When the Spanish car driver, who had lifted my suitcases earlier in my hotel, ignored me, I was a little scared"
    It's a very unnatural sentence, I can't imagine any native speaker saying or writing it. I fail to see the point in you learning to punctuate such an unlikely sentence.
    It would be much more natural as "I was a little scared when..."
    Last edited by bhaisahab; 14-Dec-2011 at 09:14. Reason: correct typo
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    shabani is offline Member
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    Default Re: punctiuation problem

    Ok...I guess I'll have to rephrase that.

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