Commas Are My Worst Enemy
Moderator: Official Reviewer Representatives
- headlessheart
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 13 May 2022, 18:12
- Currently Reading: Mercy's Light
- Bookshelf Size: 8
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-headlessheart.html
- Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
Commas Are My Worst Enemy
- Kaitlyn Canedy
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3253
- Joined: 28 Jul 2019, 20:55
- Favorite Book: Too Old Too Soon
- Currently Reading: Totem
- Bookshelf Size: 507
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kaitlyn-canedy.html
- Latest Review: The Date Farm by Jack Winnick
- 2024 Reading Goal: 12
- 2024 Goal Completion: 0%
Spell checkers (including Grammarly) should not be the only way to check for grammatical errors. While they can be helpful, grammar checkers are far from perfect. The feedback from the editors should explain why the commas were marked as errors.
The Oxford comma is not a requirement of the OBC because some writing styles leave it out, while others require it. Because the OBC does not follow one writing style, editors should not be taking away grammar points for the omission or use of the Oxford comma.
The International Grammar Forum would be a better forum to ask questions about the Oxford comma. I have provided a post from that forum below to help you get started.
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=130072
I hope this helps. If there is anything I need to clarify or answer further, do let me know.
- headlessheart
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 13 May 2022, 18:12
- Currently Reading: Mercy's Light
- Bookshelf Size: 8
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-headlessheart.html
- Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
- fire_spice
- Posts: 316
- Joined: 23 Jun 2018, 07:50
- Currently Reading: The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci
- Bookshelf Size: 20
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fire-spice.html
- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
- Cecilia_L
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 4952
- Joined: 08 Jun 2018, 22:16
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 436
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cecilia-l.html
- Latest Review: No Rushing when Brushing by Humairah Shah
Hello!fire_spice wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022, 04:23 Are there otherways to check for errors apart from spell checkers?
Unfortunately, spellcheck doesn't always catch all errors, and neither does Grammarly, but I find using a combination of both helpful. You can also double check spelling by using online sites like thesauraus.com.
- Charlienmegan Wehner
- Posts: 301
- Joined: 03 Jun 2022, 20:51
- Currently Reading: Finding Joy with an Invisible Chronic Illness
- Bookshelf Size: 62
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-charlienmegan-wehner.html
- Latest Review: Death Ray by Tom King
- fire_spice
- Posts: 316
- Joined: 23 Jun 2018, 07:50
- Currently Reading: The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci
- Bookshelf Size: 20
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fire-spice.html
- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz
Thank you!Cecilia_L wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022, 18:23Hello!fire_spice wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022, 04:23 Are there otherways to check for errors apart from spell checkers?
Unfortunately, spellcheck doesn't always catch all errors, and neither does Grammarly, but I find using a combination of both helpful. You can also double check spelling by using online sites like thesauraus.com.
- Cecilia_L
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 4952
- Joined: 08 Jun 2018, 22:16
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 436
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cecilia-l.html
- Latest Review: No Rushing when Brushing by Humairah Shah
You're welcome!fire_spice wrote: ↑11 Jun 2022, 11:01Thank you!Cecilia_L wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022, 18:23Hello!fire_spice wrote: ↑09 Jun 2022, 04:23 Are there otherways to check for errors apart from spell checkers?
Unfortunately, spellcheck doesn't always catch all errors, and neither does Grammarly, but I find using a combination of both helpful. You can also double check spelling by using online sites like thesauraus.com.
-
- Posts: 112
- Joined: 24 Jun 2022, 04:51
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 22
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-royhunter2000.html
- Latest Review: Serendipity Mystery: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi
-
- Posts: 19
- Joined: 07 Jul 2022, 12:52
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 9
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jackie-kook.html
- Latest Review: Souljourner by Paul Steven Stone
I agree with you 100%. It seems that I can't get it "right", no matter how I use the commas. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen ANY explanation of why my comma use was correct or incorrect when I receive editor feedback. Honestly, I'm only 3 reviews in and I give up on it because I'm not seeing any way to get it right without feedback on what I'm doing wrong. And some of it is purely misreading what I wrote, where the editor's addition or deletion of the comma actually changed how the sentence reads. It's disheartening.Luna Grace wrote: ↑11 Jun 2022, 09:46 I totally agree. I’m new to reviewing and have been marked down for comma usage. I read my review several times, use Grammerly, and Scribens before submitting my reviews, but I still have comma errors or I think a word is borderline profanity but it’s apparently not. It’s so disheartening when I put several hours into reading and writing a review but my editorial scores are still low. I want to keep reviewing as I love this opportunity and website, but it’s getting hard to reconcile my time vs. my editorial scores.
- MsH2k
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 4723
- Joined: 31 Jul 2019, 11:11
- Favorite Book: Crushing
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 366
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-msh2k.html
- Latest Review: Lilleah by eelonqa K harris
I have submitted recheck requests and been successful in getting errors reversed when I felt my comma usage was correct and the editor misinterpreted what I wrote. If you can explain your usage and support it with a reputable reference link, you may get the error removed and the scorecard updated. If you don't get any feedback on what was wrong and you want another opinion (or two), feel free to ask your question in the international grammar forum.Jackie Kook wrote: ↑17 Jul 2022, 18:00 I agree with you 100%. It seems that I can't get it "right", no matter how I use the commas. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen ANY explanation of why my comma use was correct or incorrect when I receive editor feedback. Honestly, I'm only 3 reviews in and I give up on it because I'm not seeing any way to get it right without feedback on what I'm doing wrong. And some of it is purely misreading what I wrote, where the editor's addition or deletion of the comma actually changed how the sentence reads. It's disheartening.
Rosa Parks
-
- Posts: 19
- Joined: 07 Jul 2022, 12:52
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 9
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jackie-kook.html
- Latest Review: Souljourner by Paul Steven Stone
- Tonia Freeman
- In It Together VIP
- Posts: 233
- Joined: 25 May 2022, 11:29
- Currently Reading: Black Hat/White Hat: A tale of Good is Evil
- Bookshelf Size: 756
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tonia-freeman.html
- Latest Review: Just Die by E Alan Fleischauer
Aren't you only allowed so many recheck requests in your lifetime, three I think it was.MsH2k wrote: ↑17 Jul 2022, 18:33I have submitted recheck requests and been successful in getting errors reversed when I felt my comma usage was correct and the editor misinterpreted what I wrote. If you can explain your usage and support it with a reputable reference link, you may get the error removed and the scorecard updated. If you don't get any feedback on what was wrong and you want another opinion (or two), feel free to ask your question in the international grammar forum.Jackie Kook wrote: ↑17 Jul 2022, 18:00 I agree with you 100%. It seems that I can't get it "right", no matter how I use the commas. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen ANY explanation of why my comma use was correct or incorrect when I receive editor feedback. Honestly, I'm only 3 reviews in and I give up on it because I'm not seeing any way to get it right without feedback on what I'm doing wrong. And some of it is purely misreading what I wrote, where the editor's addition or deletion of the comma actually changed how the sentence reads. It's disheartening.
- Tonia Freeman
- In It Together VIP
- Posts: 233
- Joined: 25 May 2022, 11:29
- Currently Reading: Black Hat/White Hat: A tale of Good is Evil
- Bookshelf Size: 756
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tonia-freeman.html
- Latest Review: Just Die by E Alan Fleischauer
I agree that it is very frustrating and the time vs reward is lacking in some cases. Plus, not having the chance to respond to the errors is also frustrating. I have one reviewer dock me because I said, "The last quarter of the book saved the story". He claimed that he should have been "stories". To me, that is flat-out wrong. There is only one story, the book and it's not a book for short stories. I just don't understand how someone isn't checking them to see if they are correct. Or if we had a way to flag or comment and they could change if it made sense.Luna Grace wrote: ↑11 Jun 2022, 09:46 I totally agree. I’m new to reviewing and have been marked down for comma usage. I read my review several times, use Grammerly, and Scribens before submitting my reviews, but I still have comma errors or I think a word is borderline profanity but it’s apparently not. It’s so disheartening when I put several hours into reading and writing a review but my editorial scores are still low. I want to keep reviewing as I love this opportunity and website, but it’s getting hard to reconcile my time vs. my editorial scores.
- MsH2k
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 4723
- Joined: 31 Jul 2019, 11:11
- Favorite Book: Crushing
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 366
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-msh2k.html
- Latest Review: Lilleah by eelonqa K harris
andTonia Freeman wrote: ↑20 Jul 2022, 10:01 I agree that it is very frustrating and the time vs reward is lacking in some cases. Plus, not having the chance to respond to the errors is also frustrating. I have one reviewer dock me because I said, "The last quarter of the book saved the story". He claimed that he should have been "stories". To me, that is flat-out wrong. There is only one story, the book and it's not a book for short stories. I just don't understand how someone isn't checking them to see if they are correct. Or if we had a way to flag or comment and they could change if it made sense.
You can respond to the errors if you think it is warranted. You are allowed only a certain number of rechecks, but you do get your recheck count back if the editor changes the scorecard in response to your recheck request. If the editor doesn’t change their scorecard, and you still think you are right, you can request an admin recheck on the scorecard. You will get the recheck back if the admin changes the scorecard.Aren't you only allowed so many recheck requests in your lifetime, three I think it was.
Based on your scenario, I think you have a good case for getting the error reversed if you want to pursue it. Be sure to thoroughly explain why you think it is written correctly and provide any pertinent reference links (I can’t think of a reference link for this one, though). You don’t have the opportunity to add to your recheck request if you need to go for an admin recheck, so it is very important that the initial recheck request is thorough and complete.
BTW, I love your profile picture. Your cat's face is so...cat
Rosa Parks