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Mum likes reading, decorating, shopping with the girls, and Starbucks. She also feels funny writing in the 3rd person. Papa (also known as Sparky) is currently looking at me with a blank stare having asked him to add something about himself to the blog. (Now he wants to say something) The only thing he loves more in life than music and Coke is his wife and kids. (Awww...) :) Little Lotte is a genius on the computer and makes me fall over laughing every day with her quick wit. She loves computers and animals. Sweet Pea abandoned her family and moved to Phoenix for work and is now married as of 2/28/06. She is beautiful and smart and the most nurturing person I know. She gave me the greatest gift ever when she made me a grandmother. I am the proud Mum Mum to Andrew Christopher. There are no words to describe the joy of having a grandson!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

A MOOSE DIES EVERYTIME YOU FORGET THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR AND YOU'RE...




It's National Punctuation Day. I barely got to celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day!
http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/


Go there. Here's a peek at the site!

How punctuation
changes the meaning
of a sentence

Let’s eat, mommy.
Let’s eat mommy.

Don’t use commas, which are not necessary.
Don’t use commas which are not necessary.



Punctuate this paragraph:

That that is is that that is not is not thats it that is.


Why punctuation is important to one’s sex life:
Pre-marital sex: What some people have before marriage.
Extra marital sex: What some people have in a happy marriage.
Extra-marital sex: What people have in a not-so-happy marriage.
If you’re having a lot of #3, you’re probably not having a lot of #2. It all depends where you place the hyphen.

NOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN THIS FAR -- HERE IS WHERE I GET TO RANT!

I am over (cough) and JUST BARELY (cough, cough) over 40 and I completely and totally remember that you did NOT place a comma before the word AND. But my daughters came home from school INSISTING that you do indeed place a comma before the word AND. So I looked it up and it seems that I AM NOT NUTS. (cough, cough, cough )

This answer from yahoo.com explains it all:

Resolved QuestionShow me another »
Who learned the rule of no comma before the "and" in a list of three or more items?
I've been second guessing myself and have found that after all these years, there is a comma BEFORE the "and" in a list of three or more items. I swear I learned the rule differently (absolutely no comma before the "and") and I don't know why we were taught that. An English friend remembers the same rule (I'm American). Is this generational? We're both in our 30s. What's the deal with that rule? Why does the comma before the "and" look so wrong to me?
2 months ago
Report Abuse

dusty
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The comma before the "and" looks wrong... BECAUSE IT IS!
HaHa - just kidding. Had to get that out of my system. I feel better now.

I was taught, 'waaaay back when, that the comma takes the place of (in this case) the word "and". So, instead of saying, "Apples and oranges and peaches.", you could say, "Apples, oranges and peaches". You didn't need the final comma because you already had an "and". That makes perfect sense to me. When my husband went back to college a few years ago and took an English course, my hackles went up when I saw the new rule in his grammar handbook. I think it's largely a matter of style - and you know how styles change.

At a grammar and proofing seminar recently, the teacher said that there was a court case where an heir (one of three) got more than he probably should have because of that final missing comma. The money was to be disbursed among Bill, Helen and Paul - that's how it was written. He sued saying that since there was no comma after Helen, it meant half should go to Bill and the other half to Helen and Paul. And he won!

I haven't been able to verify the story, but, just to be on the safe side, if I write up a legal document, I'll include that final comma. Other than that, in my world, there shall be no comma after "and".

3 Comments:

Blogger Mia Turner said...

Punctuation is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

And there is a comma before and.

8:10 PM  
Blogger Jean said...

I was always taught to put a comma before "and." However, when my kids were in school they were taught that it's unnecessary. It probably depends upon the writers of the curriculum. Apparently both ways are correct, but for me there shall be a comma before "and"!!

4:46 PM  
Blogger Suzanne said...

Oh my god...I just read Mia's response-that is hysterical!

Anyhoo...here is my attempt at responding to one of your great post challenges:

That that is, is that that is not. (I'm cheating and taking out the second "is not")
That's it, that is!

That wasn't so good...

4:50 PM  

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