Have you heard of this comma?

bkwriter said:

I looked on youtube about commas and found a Attention comma. Like if someone is trying to get your attention. "Racing, John, is good." Does this comma have a proper name because I can't find it in my grammer books?
I can find the other 7.

Thanks,
Nick

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If I'm interpreting this correctly, this is a case of direct address, which is when you're speaking to someone (addressing them directly). You set off the name with a comma.

SO:

Do you know, Susan?
Do you know Susan?

The comma indicates that in the first example, you're speaking TO Susan, while in the second example you're speaking ABOUT Susan.

Your grammer books would help if they were grammar books. Anyway, the above post said exactly what I was hoping to say.

There are seven commas? No wonder I feel outnumbered.

I would guess that's just someone's own invented term. I don't recall ever hearing such a comma referred to as an "attention comma".

I copied this the other day from a post on here. Maybe it will help with the other seven. I can not remember who first posted this. Sorry.

A comma has seven specific purposes:

- To separate items in a list
ex. I like apples, oranges, and bananas.

- To connect two independent clauses
ex. She walked into the road, and a car clipped her.

- To attach a dependent clause to the beginning of an independent clause
ex. Following World War II, the United States became a leading world power.

- To separate two adjectives
ex. Blood dripped from her sharp, yellow teeth.

- To show a change of direction in a sentence
ex. The queen viewed herself as omnipotent, not a pushover.

- To separate states from countries, names from titles, and dates when written in full
ex. I visited New York City, New York.
ex. Steve Nash, starting point guard for the Phoenix Suns, won MVP in back-to-back seasons.
ex. The day is September 19, 2009.

- To separate a quote from its introduction or explanation
ex. She peered over his shoulder and asked, "What are you writing?"
ex. "With a little bit of practice, commas aren't too tough," he said.

There are exceptions to these rules, but this will help you get started. Good luck!

This kind of comma is used (I think) because the direct address becomes an appositive in the sentence. Correct me if I'm wrong (because I sometimes am).

It is properly called "direct address"

This use of the comma has been called "direct address" since at least the early 1960s.

Failure to use the comma in this situation is one of the most common writing errors that I see in screenplays. In fact, almost every script is loaded with this mistake.

I agree that Bkwriter may be looking for learning in all the wrong places. Hmmm, catchy line . . . I'll bet someone could make a hit song from it.

The direct address comma is one of the FIVE necessary comma rules to ease reading (something many writers strenuously avoid) and to reduce confusion (ditto):

4. Interjections and forms of address are set off with commas:

Yes, I will accompany you to the ball.
No, I won’t!
You, sir, are out of line.
You may be assured, ma’am, of our concern.
Are you certain of that prognosis, Dr. Casey?
Thank you, Mother, for all you do.

Note: There’s a world of difference in "Let’s eat, Grandma" and "Let’s eat Grandma."

Wayne K said:

There are seven commas? No wonder I feel outnumbered.

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Derail, but a nice one. This comment got me two private messages from people I adore. They are the reason I love AW. I say things jokingly, but no, I didn't know that there were seven commas--I actually thought there was one--and peole here are right there to help. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate that about all of you.

What was the question again?

bkwriter said:

yes it is in my grammer book.

When do you use and, vs and: Each time it came up against a broken wall, it was forced to turn back and find an alternative route.

I know that and, means it's a Independiant Clause, am I right?

And then there's the but, vs but

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Bkwriter, one begins to wonder if much attention is being paid. It's grammar book. You must have seen this advice a few time already.

About and, but, et al . . . the first of the FIVE rules for necessary commas:

1. A comma is necessary to separate a compound structure, two or more main clauses joined by one of the seven coordinating conjunctions: and, or, nor, but, for, yet, so.

The woman drank black coffee, and she ate a croissant.

You can conduct yourself in a pleasant manner, or you can be horrible.

Evan loves Susanne, but he cannot forget Elena.

If the writer chooses to make those constructions into simple sentences, then the comma is not used:

The woman drank black coffee and ate a croissant.

You can conduct yourself in a pleasant manner or be horrible.

Evan loves Susanne but cannot forget Elena.

Chase said:

Note: There’s a world of difference in "Let’s eat, Grandma" and "Let’s eat Grandma."

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LMAO. No, please - let's eat grandma. She's old, wrinkly and a damn better cook than me (I mean 'I', no I don't - now she's got me watching what I'm saying too...).

Seriously...

Anything that doesn't have any grammatical connection to the rest of the clause needs to show it and be seperated by a comma. 'John' is a vocative, i.e. a form of address, and other than getting the listener's attention, it doesn't have a tie to the rest of the clause: 'Racing is good.'