Do I need a comma after enclosed in the following sentence?
Enclosed you will find a small token of gratitude.
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I don't think that sentence is grammatically correct, in the manner of organisation not punctuation– OurCommented Aug 2, 2016 at 18:48
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3@Leth It's a little convoluted and archaic, but the sentence is perfectly correct English in every wise, and has been a standard form of expression in this context for at least a century! (Messages once came in envelopes, which could actually enclose the token.)– P. E. Dant Reinstate MonicaCommented Aug 2, 2016 at 18:52
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@user38660 No comma is necessary or expected. Note the several alternate wordings: Enclosed please find a small token... or Please find enclosed a small token...– P. E. Dant Reinstate MonicaCommented Aug 2, 2016 at 18:55
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Is this something about literature ? By the way, I couldn't understand how the example you gave related the the sentence in the question.– OurCommented Aug 2, 2016 at 18:56
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@Leth Nothing literary here. Enclosed please find and variants are standard and time-honored ways of telling a correspondent that you are enclosing something of value in an envelope or package. I don't see an "example" anywhere, though...– P. E. Dant Reinstate MonicaCommented Aug 2, 2016 at 18:59
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3 Answers
No, you do not need a comma, and I would not recommend using one. Both Enclosed is/are and attached is/are are standard phrasing for business correspondence and also personal correspondence that mimics the business usage.
Enclosed you will find check for tickets sent by the Chicago Dental Society.
Even though this reference is from 1921, it is still used today.
Enclosed is our check.
Garner on Language and Writing
A similar sentence is
Attached are copies of the contract.
Also
Attached are the minutes from the last board meeting.
answered Aug 6, 2016 at 3:38
This is an optional comma because it is a bracketing comma with weak interruption. Remember: you can omit a bracketing comma if the interruption is weak. You can tell it is a bracketing comma because you can move the “enclosed” around the sentence with no change of meaning:
You will find, enclosed, a small token of gratitude
The interruption is weak, i.e. the sentence can easily be understood without the bracketing commas. Therefore, they can be removed.
You will find enclosed a small token of gratitude
It follows that they can be removed even if “enclosed” is at the beginning of the sentence.
More on bracketing commas and the other three types of commas here.
I agree, no comma is required here. However maybe the following would be a better way to say the sentence?
"Please find enclosed a small token of [our] gratitude"
