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Help Examples how changing comma location changes meaning.

 
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beardigin



Joined: 20 Sep 2006

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:01 am    Post subject: Help Examples how changing comma location changes meaning. Reply with quote

Hello,

I have been having an ongoing discussion with my boss. He seems to believe that our kids will have an easier time understanding English, when reading, if they pause after every noun. I am convinced that if we teach our kids this method, to enhance short term understanding, in the long run our students will be virtually incomprehensible when reading to native speakers.

Can anyone provide any examples where adding commas after every noun changes the discernible meaning of the sentence? The only example I can think of is how adding commas destroys the context of dependent clauses.


Thanks.
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robot



Joined: 07 Mar 2006

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy�will you let me be yours?

Gloria

- - - - - - - - - -
Dear John,

I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?

Yours,

Gloria
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Ryst Helmut



Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Location: In search of the elusive signature...

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not exactly what you are looking for, but....


Robot, said its boss, is an idiot.

Robot said, "Its boss is an idiot."


I do something similar with my students to liven the atmosphere sometimes. What can I say...they love robots....

!shoosh,

Ryst
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Thunndarr



Joined: 30 Sep 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a grammar book that uses this example:

A panda eats shoots and leaves.

A panda eats, shoots, and leaves.
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faster



Joined: 03 Sep 2006

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All the books which included outdated information were discarded.
(some books had outdated information)

All the books, which included outdated information, were discarded.
(all the books had outdated information)

Go look up restrictive vs. non-restrictive clauses.
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peppermint



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
They have two sons who are doctors.

the meaning is that there are more sons in the family, e.g.:
They have two sons who are doctors and one who is an architect.

Compare:
They have two sons, who are doctors.


example lifted straight from here:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/645/03/

Best grammar site I've ever found for explaining points in a way clear enough for ESL students
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grainger



Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Location: Wonju, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A woman without her man is nothing!

A woman, without her man is nothing!
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Woland



Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Help Examples how changing comma location changes meanin Reply with quote

beardigin wrote:
I have been having an ongoing discussion with my boss. He seems to believe that our kids will have an easier time understanding English, when reading, if they pause after every noun. I am convinced that if we teach our kids this method, to enhance short term understanding, in the long run our students will be virtually incomprehensible when reading to native speakers.


I would worry more immediately on what bad effect this will have on their reading ability. Reading too slowly actually reduces comprehension because of limitations on how long material can be held in working memory. We need to teach students to build reading speed, rather than slowing them down, if we want to increase their comprehension.
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Pak Yu Man



Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy

PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tell you boss to worry about money and you will worry about English.
Don't let him mangle the language. Your students will suffer for it in the long run.
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