Can anyone please help me out and indicate the mistake in this exchange?
“Is John ill? He’s lost a lot of weight.” “Yes, he is rather slender these days, isn’t he?”
I am not so sure about the way the second sentence is punctuated.
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2 Answers
Punctuation is a matter of style and preference and it largely depends on which style book you or your editor use. However, using a comma is not as much confusing as other punctuation marks.
According to the linked Commas: Quick Rules by Purdue University:
Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause... Common introductory words that should be followed by a comma include yes, however, well.
- The word yes is an interjection and it is usually placed at the beginning of a sentence. It could be considered as a word that come before the main clause which requires a comma.
Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift.
- isn't he in the sentence is called a tag question which could be considered as one of contrasted coordinate elements. Therefore, a comma is required before the tag question.
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Thank you for the help Rathony. So, if the second sentence is correct does that mean the first sentence has some errors? This exchange is part of an exercise and I have to identify the mistake, which I am not able to point out. Commented Feb 12, 2016 at 17:22
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1@MairaRaheel There is no mistake. What makes you think the first sentence should have some errors just because the second sentence doesn't? I would only rephrase the first sentence to "He seems to have lost a lot of weight."– user24743Commented Feb 12, 2016 at 17:39
The punctuation in your second sentence is fine
Yes, he is rather slender these days, isn’t he?
