Is this little sentence OK?

miles · Jun 6, 2009

Its left ear was split in two, its right missing altogether.

Or does it have to be:

Its left ear was split in two, its right ear was missing altogether.

Thanks!

possibleimp · Jun 6, 2009

It depends on whether you use the comma or a semicolon. If you say, its right ear was split in two, his left missing altogether, that works. But if you use the second example, it's a comma splice, so you'd have to insert a semicolon. I personally like the second example used with a semicolon. It sums things up and gives no confusion.

Izz · Jun 6, 2009

miles said:
Its left ear was split in two, its right missing altogether.

Or does it have to be:

Its left ear was split in two, its right ear was missing altogether.

Thanks!

These sentences are bordering on comma splices (i'm sure someone more grounded in the technicalities of grammar will be along shortly to confirm or deny what i've just said).

I would write it like:

Its left ear was split in two; the right one was missing altogether.

or

Its left ear was split in two. There was no right ear.

Ken · Jun 6, 2009

... with your first example, Miles, I think you need a semicolon as the second part is a complete sentence, with "one was" being understood:

Its left ear was split in two; its right (one was) missing altogether.

A comma might serve as a place marker for "one was," though this isn't necessary:

Its left ear was split in two; its right, missing altogether.

Personally, I'd opt for:

Its left ear was split in two, and its right one was missing altogether.

Depends a bit on the sentences that precede and follow.

Matera the Mad · Jun 7, 2009

You know what? I would use the first one and see if I got away with it, because it is smooth and simple parallel structure. Fiddling with it to please potential quibblers can clunk it up.

girlyswot · Jun 8, 2009

I don't like the first one though I think it's technically fine. It seems to me to have too much inherent ambiguity on a first read - from 'its' but also from 'right'. I'd put more words in to make it clearer.

Cybernaught · Jun 8, 2009

If it fits with the context, you could also say:

While its left ear was split in two, the right was missing altogether.

veronie · Jun 10, 2009

miles said:
Its left ear was split in two, its right missing altogether.

Or does it have to be:

Its left ear was split in two, its right ear was missing altogether.

Thanks!

It's a common practice, and a perfectly fine one, to omit a word in a clause because it's silently carried over from a previous clause. But, in your first sentence you do it for two words, and I think that's too much. The second clause omits a noun (ear) and a verb (was). I would opt to omit the noun only.

Its left ear was split in two; its right was missing altogether.

Also, use the semi-colon between the clauses.

Is this little sentence OK?

miles

agent at The Knight Agency

possibleimp

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic

Ken

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

girlyswot

Cybernaught

Decker

veronie

practical experience, FTW