Saturday, April 4, 2015

grammaticality - Comma in "Don't you wish your girlfriend was grammatically correct like me?"



I saw this:
"Don't you wish your girlfriend was grammatically correct like me?"



I'm wondering should it be:
"Don't you wish your girlfriend was grammatically correct​, like me?"


Answer




I found this comma guidance online:




Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift.




  • He was merely ignorant, not stupid.

  • The chimpanzee seemed reflective, almost human.

  • You're one of the senator's close friends, aren't you?

  • The speaker seemed innocent, even gullible.





That guidance suggests that a comma might be appropriate. Moreover, the same website goes on to say:




Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).




  • Incorrect: She was late for class, because her

    alarm clock was broken.


  • Incorrect: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.


  • Correct: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar.
    (This comma use is correct because it is an example of extreme
    contrast.
    )





Assuming the quip is meant to imply that "your girlfriend" is not grammatically correct (unlike the speaker), that could be a case of "extreme contrast." However, judging by the omitted comma, maybe the contrast isn't so extreme after all.


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