Coma use question

frisco

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I'm not sure of the proper way to write this sentence.

She would hang around a few more minutes, just long enough for a cup of tea, then go on her way.

or

She would hang around a few more minutes--just long enough for a cup of tea--then go on her way.

Any thoughts?
 

shelleyo

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The version with the commas is fine.

The other isn't really incorrect, but it's a style choice that puts a lot more emphasis on the middle phrase.

Shelley
 
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Fallen

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Either are fine, it just depends on how you want emphasize 'just long enough for a cup of tea'. To brit Eng (I'm not falling for this again, Chase) using the em-dash REALLY emphasizes--I'm mean REALLY emphasiszes--the time for a cup of tea, the commas are more gentle, more subtle.

Am Eng differs slightly. Some seem to work on the em-dash having the same 'subtle' effect of the commas, some don't.

But both are okay, it just depends where you come from.


Pssst. I think you dropped a 'm' from comma in your title, hun. It's reading 'coma', as in a really long sleep.... :D
 

Snick

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I believe that the version with commas is preferable to the dashes, but there are people who prefer dashes.
 

allz28

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As fallen said, both are correct. It depends on the amount of emphasis you want.

Even in America, I think the em dash has more emphasis than commas.
 

frisco

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Thanks guys. I tend to write it with the dashes, but I think it would be better just opting for the commas. I insert information like that in my sentences a lot and sometimes I get paragraphs with lots of ---'s in them. I think it looks better with commas, just wanted to be sure it was grammatically sound.

I have it when I spell comma as coma. I think I'm in a coma when I'm typing it. Hell of a writer I am that I can't even spell comma! lol.
 

Alwaysinspired

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I prefer the first version, but I'm a comma happy writer:) I think the second version breaks up the sentence too much.