Recently, this cartoon made the rounds of language mavens:
The comma rule depicted here is simple: use a comma with the name of a person you are directly addressing. If the name comes first, it is followed by a comma:
Children, please stop jumping on the beds.
If the name comes at the end of the sentence, the comma precedes the name:
Stop jumping on the beds, boys.
And if the name (or names) comes in the middle of the sentence, surround it with commas:
What I said, Sean and Duncan, was to stop jumping on the beds!
As you can see from my example sentences (other than my children’s habit of jumping on the beds), you don’t have to use a proper name to address someone. A title works, even an informal one like boys.
In the cartoon, the comma changes the sentence from a bothersome one about cannibalism to a friendlier one about a grandchild encouraging Grandpa to have something to eat (as long as it’s not Grandma). Got it? Good. Let’s try a quick quiz.
In the cartoon, the comma changes the sentence from a bothersome one about cannibalism to a friendlier one about a grandchild encouraging Grandpa to have something to eat (as long as it’s not Grandma). Got it? Good. Let’s try a quick quiz.
- Arthur you really should consider running for office again.
- When Arthur ran last time, he lost by just a few votes.
- Don’t you want to go the distance Arthur?
- Right now Arthur is the best time to campaign.
- Just because the election is two years away is no reason for Arthur not to start knocking on doors.
Give it a whirl, and check back on Monday for the correct answers. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, post them below. And if you just want someone else to think about commas for you, visit my Web site.
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-As you can see from my example sentences (–) is that you don’t have to use a proper name to address someone.-
OK, I like the comma quiz. But this sentence (minus the words in parenthesis) just doesn’t sound right. Why isn’t it:
What you can see…..is that you don’t….
or:
As you can see …..you don’t have to….
This blog (which I found on Visual Thesaurus) is one I will add to my bookmarks. It reminds me of my Uncle Peter, a (now retired) English professor. His critiques were not always made gently, but he did keep us ‘on our toes’.
Great catch, Susan! That sentence doesn’t sound right because it isn’t. I’ve corrected it to:
As you can see (other than my children’s habit of jumping on the beds) you don’t have to use a proper name to address someone.
Even editors need an editor. Thanks, Susan.
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We are having a debate. My teammate is designing a shirt to say, “No mercy sir!” I say it requires a comma between mercy and sir. He says it doesn’t because it is being yelled and there is no pause. Who is correct?
I love that cartoon, it’s one of my favorites.
Also, I appreciate this blog post because so few people know about the direct address comma. It can completely change the meaning of a sentence!
In response to your post, Mindy, I would say you are definitely right – you do need a comma. It doesn’t matter how loud you’re saying something, or whether it has a pause, a direct address still requires a comma. Since you are addressing “sir,” you would use one.
Veronica’s right, strictly speaking you need a comma there. I would swear there’s an exception to that rule that allows “No mercy sir!” but I haven’t yet found anything that says so.
I love comments on proper comma usage that themselves exhibit improper comma usage: “I love that cartoon, it’s one of my favorites.”
It’s a result of McKean’s Law: “Any correction of the speech or writing of others will contain at least one grammatical, spelling, or typographical error.” One should be careful when responding and lenient with others for that very reason!
[...] Comma poster found at Punctuation Point. [...]
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Why doesn’t the direct address comma apply to addressing a business letter? Why don’t we write, Dear, Mr. Smith:?
Good question, Mike. If you’re using dear, you wouldn’t need a comma because dear is an adjective modifying Mr. Smith. If you being your letter with hello, hi, or something similar, you’d want that comma: Hello, Mr. Smith. Does that make sense?