Jose Carillo's English Forum
English Grammar and Usage Problems => Use and Misuse => Topic started by: Joe Carillo on January 28, 2018, 04:24:05 PM
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Question by GlorJuani Hateh posted on the Forum's Facebook Gateway (January 27, 2018):
Sir,
I am just wondering why there's a comma after "unhealthiness" (in the attached poster statement).
Thank u.
Good evening
(http://josecarilloforum.com/imgs/GlorHate_poster-query-1A.png)
My reply to GlorJuani Hateh:
Let's take a closer look at the statement you have referred to me: "19. United Kingdom. The UK ranks 19th for unhealthiness, with its residents being the ninth heaviest drinkers in the world." You were wondering why there's a comma after "unhealthiness." Take note that the prepositional phrase "with its residents being the ninth heaviest drinkers in the world" is intended to modify the whole main clause before it and not just the preceding word "unhealthiness" right before it. The comma right after that prepositional phrase provides soft punctuation, both visually and audibly, to demarcate that main clause from that modifying phrase. Without that comma, a confusing fused or run-on sentence will result.
RELATED READING ON FUSED OR RUN-ON SENTENCES:
"10 – The problem with fused or run-on sentences" (http://josecarilloforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7343.0)