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Thread: Comma before proper nouns.

  1. 26-Dec-2012, 17:33 #1
    Matthew McKinney
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    Default Comma before proper nouns.

    In the sentence, "Whats going on, Matthew?" Is a comma really needed before the proper noun? If so why?
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  2. 26-Dec-2012, 17:51 #2
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    5jj
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    Default Re: Comma before proper nouns.

    Welcome to the forum, Matthew.

    We separate the name of a person addressed from the rest of a sentence by a comma,
    anhnha, Barb_D, bhaisahab and 1 others like this.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.

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  3. 26-Dec-2012, 18:08 #3
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    Default Re: Comma before proper nouns.

    There is a lot of difference between:
    I hate to ask Matthew.
    and
    I hate to ask, Matthew.
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    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
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  4. 26-Dec-2012, 23:02 #4
    Rover_KE
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    Default Re: Comma before proper nouns.

    Note that you need an apostrophe in "What's going on?"

    Rover
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