Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Post History

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Comma before names of people or titles

I am wondering whether it's necessary to use commas in the sentences below when addressing or introducing someone: “You look after each other, okay children?" “You look after each other, okay...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by MoniqueH‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T05:27:26Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/23976
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar MoniqueH‭ · 2019-12-08T05:27:26Z (over 4 years ago)
I am wondering whether it's necessary to use commas in the sentences below when addressing or introducing someone:

> “You look after each other, okay children?"  
> “You look after each other, okay, children?

Which version would be better or are both fine depending on whether there is a pause in speech?

> "I'll have a sparkling water, please, sir."

Should there be a comma before sir (or does it make the sentence stilted?) or should it be:

> "I'll have a sparkling water, please sir."

Also,

> "I turn to see my friend James Grand walking towards me."

Or should it be:

> "I turn to see my friend, James Grand, walking towards me."

In the same vein:

> "He and his elder sister Evie once looked after us..."

Or should it be:

> "He and his elder sister, Evie, once looked after us..."

A similar question is regarding commas and the introduction of a name with the possessive:

> "We are attending our friends', John and Crystal's, engagement party."

Or should it be:

> "We are attending our friends John and Crystal's engagement party."

Any advice on these points would be greatly appreciated!

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2016-07-30T21:47:31Z (over 7 years ago)
Original score: 1