How do you punctuate this sentence:

moonchild04 | 23:06 Tue 27th Mar 2012 | Arts & Literature

20 Answers

The old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” while comforting to children, many times is not true.

Is this correct? Do you need a comma after "adage"? Does the "s" in "sticks" need to be capitalized?

Grammar pros, please help!!!

"fast forward" in an adverbial phrase

does anyone understand this please?

Answers

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Canary42

Conventionally, yes to both questions. The comma after me is NOT required.

mike11111

Yes
Yes
I would replace the last bit with: is often not true.

Nibble

The old adage "Sticks and stones...~" is how I'd do it. the first S is capitalised because it's the start of a quotation. The comma is wrong.

mike11111

I would say the comma after me is required to make the necessary pause.

Nibble

I agree with mike, that last clause reads awkwardly at the moment - I'd say "~may comfort children, but is often untrue."

Nibble

Yep, you don't need either comma, not after adage nor after me.

Canary42

On reflection I agree with Mike re comma after me, but it should be after the closing quotation marks I believe.

Nibble

The old adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" may comfort children, but is often untrue.

That's how I'd write it.

237SJ

There shouldn`t be a comma after "bones"

Nibble

I think there should, the comma is separating the two clauses in the quotation.

237SJ

But is a "joining word" (like "and) so you don`t need a comma.

Nibble

True, but there are two schools of thought as to whether I should have put the comma after "true" in this sentence. It reads better to me.

237SJ

It reads better but there is school of thought that would say you don`t start a sentence with "true". You would start it with "That is true " and then the "but" would flow without the need for a comma.

joggerjayne

I'm in two minds about the comma and the "but".

Yes, "but" is a "joining word" ... a conjunction.

In this context, it's a "co-ordinating conjunction" (joining two parts of the sentence of equal importance), and cc's are often prededed by a comma.

eg. "We could discuss grammar now, BUT perhaps it can wait until morning."

(as distinct from sub-ordinating conjunctions which link a main clause and a sub-ordinate clause ...

eg. "I am tired BECAUSE I spend so much time on AB"

... where, I agree, the comma should be left out.