Need non-food help from some of our English editors:

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Do you think the following sentence should include the comma?

"Unauthorised use of this system is a breach of MOD Procedures, and constitutes an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990."

I don't think it should be there, but I'm having difficulty convincing others. Am I wrong?

By the way, spelling is United Kingdom variant.

 
I'm not an English editor but I was beaten with rulers by nuns in grammar school...

and I vote no. You don't need a comma before the word and. You would only need it if there were three clauses being listed, and you would only need it after the first one.

(Notice how I went to the trouble to italicize and, since quotes would not be proper, and how I will now put the period after the parenthesis).

(I still fear Sister Gabriel's ruler).

 
No from me too

It's a single subject with a compound verb which should not have a comma (just because it looks long isn't reason). You wouldn't use one in "Sam is a boy and runs track." which is a similar, albeit simpler, construction.

 
Schooled by UK teachers...NEVER put a comma before and.

commas can be put before but if it is followed by an independant clause.

 
Definitely no. I love semi-colons, but it would change the meaning here.

Noticed the "s" you used. Wondered if this were going overseas.

 
Point of law has changed the rule of no comma before and in three or more clauses.

I remember Sister Ignatious (who was a double for Professor McGonagall) wielding her ruler during grammar and penmanship. I think I can still see the scars on my knuckles.

This is the reference for Serial Commas:

Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base." You may have learned that the comma before the "and" is unnecessary, which is fine if you're in control of things. However, there are situations when, if you don't use this comma (especially when the list is complex or lengthy), these last two items in the list will try to glom together (like macaroni and cheese). Using a comma between all the items in a series, including the last two, avoids this problem. This last comma—the one between the word "and" and the preceding word—is often called the serial comma or the Oxford comma. In newspaper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial comma, but that is not necessarily a sign that it should be omitted in academic prose.

 
Aw, Marg, I much preferred picturing you browsing the booksellers along the Seine than in hospital.

Hope you are feeling better.

 
Not in my opinion, but look at

your own sentence: I don't think it should be there, but I'm having difficulty convincing others. - I don't think in either case it's wrong, but it isn't neccessary. Just imho ;o)

 
No (copy editor here). Both clauses ("is a breach..." and "constitutes...") have the same

subject ("unauthorised use"). This is the same construction as "My shoes are big and give me blisters."

 
That's one thing that bugs me... when people put the period before the

second parenthesis, and then tell me I'm wrong to do that. We are right, right?

 
Now you have me thinking - maybe the comma is there to

separate the two different thoughts. I'm overthinking this one - 'gotta go for a swim.

 
It goes inside if it's a complete sentence inside, and outside if it's part of a larger

sentence:

(This is correct.)
And so is this (if you didn't know).

 
wow...you guys are the best! Now to go debate this with mgt & customer.

The problem is...the customer (UK military) GAVE us this wording and it has been on their security banner for a few years already. I'm the first person to question if it is correct.

I'd just hate for an application that we're developing and selling to UK to include an error on the user's opening screen.

 
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