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Per the instructions on the review scorecard page, I was to post my question here. It was noted in a review I submitted that a comma belonged before "but" in this sentence: So much of it reminded me of the world today but with a more sinister edge to it.

I do not think that is right as the clause after "but" is not independent. It is not a complete sentence.

RGraf wrote: ↑21 Sep 2018, 15:03 Per the instructions on the review scorecard page, I was to post my question here. It was noted in a review I submitted that a comma belonged before "but" in this sentence: So much of it reminded me of the world today but with a more sinister edge to it.

I do not think that is right as the clause after "but" is not independent. It is not a complete sentence.

You are correct. The comma rule calls for a comma before but when but is a coordinating conjunction. A coordinating conjunction joins two independent clauses. The two phrases after but do not include a verb nor a subject since both are prepositional phrases - with a more sinister edge and to it. For more about but with commas, which you don't seem to need, you can go to https://www.grammarly.com/blog/comma-before-but/.

RGraf wrote: ↑21 Sep 2018, 15:03 Per the instructions on the review scorecard page, I was to post my question here. It was noted in a review I submitted that a comma belonged before "but" in this sentence: So much of it reminded me of the world today but with a more sinister edge to it.

I do not think that is right as the clause after "but" is not independent. It is not a complete sentence.

You have the option to appeal that via your RT page.

It's up to you.
The use of punctuations general has always been up to the user and the voice he/she uses to write.

Melekwe Anthony wrote: ↑25 Sep 2018, 17:44 It's up to you.
The use of punctuations general has always been up to the user and the voice he/she uses to write.

I can see that you are new here. In reviews, editors do look at punctuation and mark off for punctuation that does not follow grammar guidelines. In the case above, it looks like the editor may have erred, but it's not up to the user to just use whatever punctuation that they want to...

I think putting the comma before 'but' would emphasize the statement following it. Also, you started the sentence with 'So', maybe that's why the editor feels there should be a comma. If you read the sentence aloud, there is a pause before the 'but', and that also suggests the need for a comma. Technically, the rule is as you state, but I think that the editor has a point.

jgraney8 wrote: ↑21 Sep 2018, 21:20

RGraf wrote: ↑21 Sep 2018, 15:03 Per the instructions on the review scorecard page, I was to post my question here. It was noted in a review I submitted that a comma belonged before "but" in this sentence: So much of it reminded me of the world today but with a more sinister edge to it.

I do not think that is right as the clause after "but" is not independent. It is not a complete sentence.

You are correct. The comma rule calls for a comma before but when but is a coordinating conjunction. A coordinating conjunction joins two independent clauses. The two phrases after but do not include a verb nor a subject since both are prepositional phrases - with a more sinister edge and to it. For more about but with commas, which you don't seem to need, you can go to https://www.grammarly.com/blog/comma-before-but/.