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Here is my sentence:

It is really a very simple change, minutes, and I want to pull it in soon, since it is an annoyance.

The second comma seems strange it me. Its ending the explanation of "very simple change," but it is also the comma for the conjunction. In my mind, is seems to conflict with the third comma.

Somehow, this sentence seems messed up.

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  • Should it be a colon?
    – GC_
    Commented Aug 31, 2020 at 20:53
  • Is the third comma going to fight a duel? With one of the others?
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Aug 31, 2020 at 20:59

1 Answer 1

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This much of your sentence is fine:

It is really a very simple change, minutes, and I want to pull it in soon.

When a comma serves two roles, such as the one after “minutes”, they are merged. If one had been a colon, semicolon, period, exclamation mark or question mark, that would take precedence:

It is really a very simple change, minutes; I want to pull it in soon.

However, you do have a problem with the third comma:

I want to pull it in soon, since it is an annoyance.

When the subordinate clause follows the independent clause, you do not use a comma:

I want to pull it in soon since it is an annoyance.

You only use it when the subordinate clause comes first:

Since it is an annoyance, I want to pull it in soon.

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  • That makes sense. I understood all of that. Thank you.
    – GC_
    Commented Aug 31, 2020 at 21:55
  • Oh, I already accepted it, but one thing is missing. What is the final sentence you would recommend.
    – GC_
    Commented Aug 31, 2020 at 21:56

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