Yes. It's almost always incorrect to join two independent clauses (phrases that could stand alone as sentences) with a comma. A period is always a safe choice, but a semicolon can be used to emphasize the connection between the clauses if they are closely related. I'd have probably used a semicolon in this case to suggest the elided "because."

Jay

Nah, most 5.14 climbers do not have more muscle mass than my sad 5.13 climbing self. I have friends who bodybuild and climb, trust me, they chuff 5.10 but could tear the arms off of any pro climber I know. They sweat like pigs top roping 5.9, burning more calories than any pro climber ever has in an hour because they weigh twice as much as a pro climber. (So if you weigh less it all gets easier? Yes) I wish that 5.14 climbers had as much muscle mass as myself, then I wouldn't be so embarassed about how much I suck in comparison when I climb around them.

I still say this is a pretty big issue that is in no way limited to one American femal, idiocy.!

Yes. It's almost always incorrect to join two independent clauses (phrases that could stand alone as sentences) with a comma. A period is always a safe choice, but a semicolon can be used to emphasize the connection between the clauses if they are closely related. I'd have probably used a semicolon in this case to suggest the elided "because."

Jay

Why the hell are you all talking about punctuation and grammar?! I thought this was a climbing forum?
Let's get back to climbing and not egoize our other strengths.

Anyways, this is seriously screwing with me. I just talked to my GF. Aparently she has long suspected that I have no idea what correct punctuation is, but never felt the need to correct it.


Now is that ^ comma in the right place?

Edit to add: This is pathetic, isn't it? I am going to surf the net and learn this first grade crap.

Just wait a little while longer, some programming geek at Apple will make a grammar checker and the Internet will be full of smart people again. Hey does anyone use dragon, and do you have to say the punctuation, or are we getting closer then I just thought on the grammar checker.? When I was looking up that spelling thing, I noticed a report of how the Internet is making teens into bad spellers, and non grammatical writers.

Just wait a little while longer, some programming geek at Apple will make a grammar checker and the Internet will be full of smart people again.

I am going to surf the net and learn this first grade crap.

MS Word already has that, doesn't it?

Jay

A comma there would be a comma splice, and is a mistake, unless you are a very good writer and know exactly what you're doing. Otherwise, a period or semicolon should be used there to separate the two independent clauses. Other than that, not bad.

Jay

I've got a quick question for you, Jay. Why did you emphasize the word "than," here?

I was correcting Sungam. Same with "separate."

Jay

Yes. In fact, most of your grammar is fine.

I wouldn't put a comma there. "but never felt the need to correct it" is a dependent clause, so the comma is superfluous with the coordinating conjunction.

The comma there is optional, but I happen to like it in that sentence. See rule #7 here.

But in this case, "<comma> but she . . ." probably would have been the best choice.

Jay

I was correcting Sungam. Same with "separate."
Jay

t the Internet forum world, is just too simplistic for them. Or too anal to be able to actually understand the new forms of dialog.

Joe,

Write however you want to write - just don't be surprised if people stop replying to you because you're the new Jacques.

At least that guy has an excuse... he's foreign fake.

I still don't read his posts without Google translator handy to put them back into French where they make sense.

So much for your professed sincerity to improve. Down deep you can't accept responsibility for your deficient writing skills. It can't possibly be your fault for writing incomprehensibly; it must be the fault of those who can write: their education prevents from them understanding incoherent writing! Yeah, that's it!


You took one sentance, and focused only on what you took personal. It was not written to you, nor to anyone else. The above post was in response to what learner wrote. Also, how is it my simple mind had a feeling you would be the first to respond and argue what was said?

Here are the consequences of your attitude: you'll continue to write incoherently and thus fail to communicate your ideas to others, and the rest of us won't give a damn.

You had your chance.

Jay

You took one sentance, and focused only on what you took personal. It was not written to you, nor to anyone else. The above post was in response to what learner wrote. Also, how is it my simple mind had a feeling you would be the first to respond and argue what was said?