The Elements of Style 的13-19页上，有许多关于“逗号”的例子。我们在这里编译几个跟科技英语有关的例子。(Yes, I am cherry-picking.)

如果你的目标是写小说，应该看原版（免费下载）：

http://www.jlakes.org/ch/web/The-elements-of-style.pdf

I. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE 

 

2.   In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. 

 

 

Thus write,
red, white, and blue

gold, silver, or copper

He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents. 

This comma is often referred to as the "serial" comma. 

编译：这个规矩科学家常常不认同。我无所谓，只要作者自己“立一个”规矩。

red, white, and blue （相当于A，B，and C）

OR red, white and blue （相当于A，B and C；没有第二个逗号）

在一篇文章里“按自己的规矩”写。不要变来变去的。

 

3. Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas. 

 

The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot. （评论：插入部分需要“一对逗号”。）

This rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase is or is not parenthetic. If the interruption to the flow of the sentence is but slight, the commas may be safely omitted. But whether the interruption is slight or considerable, never omit one comma and leave the other. （原作者强调：插入部分需要“一对逗号”。不能只用一个逗号！）

 

Dates usually contain parenthetic words or figures. Punctuate as follows: 

February to July, 1992 （评论：Word 不喜欢这里的逗号）

April 6, 1986
Wednesday, November 14, 1990 

 

Note that it is customary to omit the comma in 6 April 1988 （注解：这种体裁的日期，不需要逗号。）

The last form is an excellent way to write a date; the figures are separated by a word and are, for that reason, quickly grasped.

 

这里，我想强调一下“一致性”。比如说日期，你可以任性地用

April 6, 1986 （需要逗号）

或

6 April 1988 （不需要逗号）

 

但是，在一篇文章里，不要两种都用。（否则就是太任性了，不好。）

 

Nonrestrictive relative clauses are parenthetic, as are similar clauses introduced by conjunctions indicating time or place. Commas are therefore needed. A nonrestrictive clause is one that does not serve to identify or define the antecedent noun. 

The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested.（注解：美式英语which前面需要逗号。英式英语不需要。）

In 1769, when Napoleon was born, Corsica had but recently been acquired by France.

Nether Stowey, where Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, is a few miles from Bridgewater. 

In these sentences, the clauses introduced by which, when, and where are nonrestrictive; they do not limit or define, they merely add something. 

（原作者说：上面的例子，定语从句都是“非限制性的”，所以在which, when, and where前面需要逗号。）

 

Restrictive clauses, by contrast, are not parenthetic and are not set off by commas. 

Thus, People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. 

（原作者说：如果定语从句是“限制性的”， 前面不需要逗号。）

 

When the main clause of a sentence is preceded by a phrase or a subordinate clause, use a comma to set off these elements. 

Partly by hard fighting, partly by diplomatic skill, they enlarged their dominions to the east and rose to royal rank with the possession of Sicily. 

（体会一下上面的第一个逗号。）

这篇博客就到此为止了。写多了，你也没有耐心看。

 

［科技英语写作基础（系列）：大纲（1）

http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146690

 

科技英语写作基础（系列）：大纲（2）

 

http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=306792&do=blog&id=1146716］

 

1.   语态

2.   常用时态

3.   一些标点符号（句号、逗号，参考The Elements of Style I 1-7)

4.   常用句型（主语谓语的“一致性”，参考The Elements of Style）

5.   段落（参考The Elements of Style）

6.   修改、修改、再修改（简洁为上／逻辑性／一致性）

 

请大家多提意见。

相关专题：论文写作
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