Using ”as” after dialogue tags
Should a comma be used after a dialogue tag and before the word ”as”.
For example:
”I don’t like this at all, ” he said, as the door closed behind them.
Or
”I don’t like this at all, ” he said as the door closed behind them.
Is the comma required? Is this proper to extend a sentence after a dialogue tag?
Thank you!
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2 answers
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Commas tell you when to breathe.
They can be for actual pauses (as when you read it out loud and take a brief pause) or they can be to tell your brain how to break down the sentence.
Either way, add a comma in both places.
- After dialogue that is followed by a tag.
- Before an "as" clause.
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It is fine to extend a sentence after a tag, and the first form is correct: "he said" should also be followed by a comma.
"I don't like this at all," he said, as the door closed behind them.
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