Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Shinae]

Hi,

Can you correct these sentences, if necessary?

1. Do you know a John Doe's song?
Can you sing a John Doe's song?
(Is an "a" necessary in both sentences?)

2. I can sing very well and Joe can sing well, too. Or should it be,
I can sing very well, and Joe can sing well, too.
(Do you need a comma to separate the sentences here?)

3. I went to school at eight and my friend was there already. Or should it be, I went to school at eight, and my friend was there already.
(Do you need a comma here to separate the two?)

* I know a lot of people will not separate two independent sentences where they are very closely linked in content, i.e contextually linked. I need know a clear rule on this. Thank you.

[ebb]

Do you know a John Doe's song?
Can you sing a John Doe's song?
(Is an "a" necessary in both sentences?)

2. I can sing very well and Joe can sing well, too. Or should it be,
I can sing very well, and Joe can sing well, too.
(Do you need a comma to separate the sentences here?)

3. I went to school at eight and my friend was there already. Or should it be, I went to school at eight, and my friend was there already.
(Do you need a comma here to separate the two?)

1 Do you know a Beatles song?
Can you play a John Coltrane number?

"a" is necessary because you just are inquiring if the musician can play ANY one of multiple songs by the artist.

Can you play anything by John Coltrane?

2 I would use the comma but it's not always necessary.

3. Both are awkward as written. What you want to emphasize, I think, is that your friend is an early-bird; she beat you in arriving at school.

My friend was already at school when I arrived at eight.
(the "at school" is understood for your arrival).

By the time I arrived at school at eight, my friend was already there.
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