comma

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Allen165

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Should there be a comma after "France"?

He moved to Paris, France at the age of 15.

Thanks.
 

SoothingDave

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No.
(Not a teacher.)
 

IHIVG

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I think there should be a comma.
I don't know whether we can trust this website Rules for Comma Usage , but here's what it has to say:



When both a city's name and that city's state or country's name are mentioned together, the state or country's name is treated as a parenthetical element.
  • We visited Hartford, Connecticut, last summer.
  • Paris, France, is sometimes called "The City of Lights."
P.S. Doesn't it read as though he moved to Paris AND France if we don't put in a comma?
 
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bhaisahab

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Should there be a comma after "France"?

He moved to Paris, France at the age of 15.

Thanks.
Yes, I would use a comma. I agree with IHIGV.
 

TheParser

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Should there be a comma after "France"?

He moved to Paris, France at the age of 15.

Thanks.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, Jasmin.

(1) Thank you SO much for a question that I can answer with no ifs, ands, or buts.

(2) Do you need a comma after "France"?

Yes ---- YEs---------YES

(3) The New York Times (in a 1999 book for its reporters) admits, however, that maybe your sentence might read "smoother" if you recast it as:

At the age of 15, he moved to Paris, France.

(4) As you know, extra but not necessary information is set off by commas. The information can be erased with no harm to the sentence.

She moved to Paris, France, last year.

(a) "France" is nice but certainly not necessary information -- grammatically speaking.

(b) In fact, some super sensitive people might be insulted if you reminded them that Paris is in France. They might demand: Do you think I am uneducated???!!!

Have a nice day.
 

Barb_D

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If you live in Maine, you might want to specify. I got a really pretty pair of earrings in Paris, Maine, once. I enjoyed telling people I got them while passing through Paris. :-D

(There's a Calais, Madrid, Cairo, Lima, and Lisbon there too.)

Anyway, on topic, I agree with the people who say to place the comma there.
 

emsr2d2

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Should there be a comma after "France"?

He moved to Paris, France at the age of 15.

Thanks.

I agree that a comma is necessary. If you take out the word "France" you are still left with a perfectly good sentence:

He moved to Paris at the age of 15.

Therefore, "France" is additional information and should be enclosed between commas. In the same way, it could be enclosed in brackets:

He moved to Paris (France) at the age of 15.

This would be another way of differentiating it from the other cities in the world called Paris.
 

Allen165

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***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, Jasmin.

(1) Thank you SO much for a question that I can answer with no ifs, ands, or buts.

(2) Do you need a comma after "France"?

Yes ---- YEs---------YES

(3) The New York Times (in a 1999 book for its reporters) admits, however, that maybe your sentence might read "smoother" if you recast it as:

At the age of 15, he moved to Paris, France.

(4) As you know, extra but not necessary information is set off by commas. The information can be erased with no harm to the sentence.

She moved to Paris, France, last year.

(a) "France" is nice but certainly not necessary information -- grammatically speaking.

(b) In fact, some super sensitive people might be insulted if you reminded them that Paris is in France. They might demand: Do you think I am uneducated???!!!

Have a nice day.


For the sake of argument:

Couldn't one actually make a case that "France" is an essential piece of information since there are several Parises in the world and "France" tells us which one is in question?
 

TheParser

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For the sake of argument:

Couldn't one actually make a case that "France" is an essential piece of information since there are several Parises in the world and "France" tells us which one is in question?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning, Jasmin.

(1) touchE!!! (I can't write the accent mark above the "e")

(2) You are 100% correct, of course!

(3) Ms. Barbara D. tells us that she jokes about having some earrings from Paris -- Paris, Maine, that is.

(4) As a lawyer, you must, indeed, be exact and specific.

(5) It all depends on whom you are speaking to.

(6) Could you imagine the reaction if this conversation took place in the incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland:

JASMIN: I'll be out of the country for a while.

JASMIN'S FRIEND: Oh, really? For how long?

JASMIN: Maybe a month.

JASMIN'S FRIEND: Where are you going?

JASMIN: I'm going to Paris, France.

Have a nice day!
 

bds51

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Dear All,
A comma is always used to set off geographical names and items in addresses e.g.
Portland, Oregon, is one of my favorite cities.

PS The Parser: There's also Paris, Ontario
 
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