When I'm writing first draft, I use commas and full stops like machine gun bullets, then go back and take a hard look make changes myself before I get some editing done, (much further along, you can tell I don't edit from my punctuation in these posts)
One of the places I am forever placing a comma is before "and" my understanding is you can do it as long as the next part will stand alone without the word and.
The part I don't get is, I have been reading dickens recently and because of the "," issue I decided to take more notice, his work has the comma before "and" and "but" everywhere, the same with another book I am reading just now "The Screwtape Letters. Full of the same thing so,,,,, my question is if these great and old works have the comma and "and" have things changed or am I losing it.
Paul G
Again I come back to say thank you all for your time and effort. I have said this before but I don't think it hurts to say it again. It is heartening to get so much response and help when things don't seem as straightforward as they appear. My thanks, as ever Paul
If I write a list of more than 2 items, I put a comma before the "and". In general, commas (or heavier-duty punctuation) should always be used when omission would lead to confusion or ambiguity... or just a string of words that's so long that it's difficult to keep hold of the meaning. Germans are champions at this, but then they're also very strict about the comma: it MUST be used.
I think that if you consider a comma to denote a pause, that should be your rule for throwing it out. Is the pause WRONG? Out goes the curly feller.
Paul G, two spaces after a full stop is unusual these days. Check with the agent concerned, not a general statement online.
Adrian, within dialogue, you can pretty much do what you want to make the speech sound as natural as possible. It's the formal punctuation that has to be right - the marks that denote beginning and end of speech, for instance, and the separate line for each speaker.
I've tackled dialogue in my blog too - twice. Worth a look.