Comma or No Comma
During my years of administrative support, I have found people to be in one of two categories when writing and the use of the comma. There are those who are nervous about the use of the comma and avoid using it as much as possible. Or, there are those who are fearless and put in a comma whether the sentence needs it or not.
As a virtual assistant, I am somewhere in the middle between these two categories. I like the comma. It breaks up long sentences and sets apart lists of things.
Herein constitutes a problem. If you are a fearless comma user and your client is a nervous comma user, you just might not agree on the proper use of it in the work you are doing.
For example: Using commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Seems simple enough but, what if the abbreviation “etc.” is used at the end of a series of three or more in a sentence? Does a comma belong before “etc.,” after, or in both places? My humble opinion is that a comma belongs in front of the word and after. However, to be sure, I researched this one.
There appears to be more than one school of thought on the answer to this question. The general consensus is that a comma belongs before the abbreviation “etc.” and after. The exception is when “etc.” is used at the end of a sentence.
Examples:
1) For Sunday dinner Mom cooked fried chicken, whipped potatoes, gravy, etc., and the food was so good that I ate too much.
2) We planted a garden this year with corn, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, etc.
On one occasion I proofread a report that included the use of “etc.,” at the end of a series of three or more, without commas many times within the document. Being a perfectionist and after doing some research, I brought this particular comma preference to my client’s attention. In this instance I was fearless and added commas around each “etc” and highlighted the changes for my client to see. My client disagreed and the commas were removed. It was certainly my client’s right to have the final say. And, because there appeared to be no iron-clad rule, I let it go.
In a nutshell: trust your virtual assistant to know the rules of punctuation. As a virtual assistant it is my duty to point out punctuation errors or verbiage that is grammatically incorrect. It is an integral part of what I am paid to do – polish your written masterpiece until it shines for you and your colleagues, peers, friends, mentors, etc.
About the author: Debbie Plummer, the Owner and Virtual Assistant, Administrative Support specialist at Plum ExecuServices, has over 25 years of experience in the corporate administrative assistant field. To learn how you can benefit through a partnership with a VA,
see Virtual Assistance 101.
Debbie Plummer is the Founder and Owner of Plum ExecuServices: As a business owner, I am committed to providing ethical, proficient service as a Virtual Assistant specializing in Administrative Support. With a degree in Management and over 25 years of experience in the corporate administrative assistant field I bring the best, of what I have learned from the best, to my clients and their businesses.
