Which Sentence Is Proper English?

[olds]

1. Political correctness, metrosexuals, and Liberals will be the downfall of the American civilization.
2. Political correctiveness, metrosexuals, and Liberals will be the downfall of the American civilization.

1 ot 2?

 

[Brutuskend]

1

 

[HardcoreRobot]

neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

But there's more than 2 items, so there has to be a comma. 😕

 

[Ikonomi]

The first one. I don't think "correctiveness" is a word.

Also, I don't think "metrosexuals" should be capitalized.

 

[George P Burdell]

correctiveness isn't a word, and don't capitalize metrosexual or liberal.

 

[blodhi74]

1

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

 

[machintos]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

I agree.

 

[IEC]

I believe 1 is OK grammatically (you can omit the comma when using and) but it still sounds awkward.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

it is proper grammar to put a comma there, you were instructed incorrectly

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: hotchilisauce
correctiveness isn't a word, and don't capitalize metrosexual or liberal.

Fixed

 

[Ikonomi]

As for the serial comma, you can put it there, or you can leave it out.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

it is proper grammar to put a comma there, you were instructed incorrectly

LINK?

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

If it was just "Metrosexuals and liberals" you wouldn't need a comma, but it's "Political correctness, metrosexuals, and liberals" so you do need one.

 

[Ikonomi]

And according to dictionary.com, Liberal should stay capitalized.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

If it was just "Metrosexuals and liberals" you wouldn't need a comma, but it's "Political correctness, metrosexuals, and liberals" so you do need one.

Ah, oh well, I attended public schools so I have an excuse.

Plus it was long ago and far away.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

http://cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

http://www2.cuw.edu/WritingCenter/grammar.htm#Commas

many others as well

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Neither, both are false.

However, of the two, 1 is more gramatically correct, but neither is perfect.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

According to every english teacher I've ever met, it's optional and is one of the only permissible places where a writer has license to finnagle pauses and diction without breaking the rules of written english (Not that ANYONE that writes fiction cares about the rules of written english)

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

According to every english teacher I've ever met, it's optional and is one of the only permissible places where a writer has license to finnagle pauses and diction without breaking the rules of written english (Not that ANYONE that writes fiction cares about the rules of written english)

The established rule is to put a comma there because it reduces confusion as to whether the last two are separate elements of the list or should be considered as one element.
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000070.htm

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
http://cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

http://www2.cuw.edu/WritingCenter/grammar.htm#Commas

Those are hardly definitive sources in English grammar.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
neither

need a comma after metrosexuals

Not when there's a AND in there.

I concur.

I see a lot of commas before the word "and". I thought they upgraded the English language and I missed the memo.

If it was just "Metrosexuals and liberals" you wouldn't need a comma, but it's "Political correctness, metrosexuals, and liberals" so you do need one.

Ah, oh well, I attended public schools so I have an excuse.

Plus it was long ago and far away.

Ya, we're getting old.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: sciencewhiz

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
http://cctc2.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

http://www2.cuw.edu/WritingCenter/grammar.htm#Commas

Those are hardly definitive sources in English grammar.

Please, find me ONE source that says the CORRECT way to do it is to omit it. At the very least, you may be able to find sources that say it is correct to include it, but "acceptable" to leave it off.

Also, is it really that foolish of me to think a University would have correct grammar rules on their writing resources site?