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Am I right to use a comma here?
'In it, were a few crushed silver wrappers, a bread bag tie and a plastic pen lid.'
That was Question 1.
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And a second question (if I may), does this sentence work (or do 'most' and 'all' contradict each other)?
'You can be helpful, but most of the time, all you do is cause trouble...'
Comments
2) I think a contradiction or two make speech sound more natural. Doesn't matter if it makes sense, it matters if it sounds like someone would say it...but I would scrap the second comma.
2) I'd get rid of second comma.
Liz, are you saying, 'Yes, that's right' to me or to br?
That's attributed to many authors – and TBers.
I always over-emphasise the commas when I read content. Does it really need that pause? Don't forget, the reader doesn't know what follows and they will, without hesitating, pause. Agreed.
No comma needed after "it". Oxford comma after "tie" gets my vote when it comes to lists, but it's a question of personal preference. Just be consistent!
2) 'You can be helpful, but most of the time all you do is cause trouble...'
In that second sample lose the comma after 'time' - or change it round to : but all you do is cause trouble most of the time.
I am ready now to submit my brand new book to a competition. Here I go...
*gulp*
Ooh - and good luck!
I know you've already submitted, but for what it's worth, I would ditch the first comma in the first sentence, and rewrite the second one as per Lizy's suggestion.