comma after 'everywhere' [adverb]: everyone, everywhere, by 2015

julietatuya

New Member
English
In the following sentence, should I include the comma after "everywhere"?

Without: The MDGs are a framework adopted by world leaders for the international community to work together toward a common end - making sure that human development reaches everyone, everywhere by 2015.

With:The MDGs are a framework adopted by world leaders for the international community to work together toward a common end - making sure that human development reaches everyone, everywhere, by 2015.
 
  • This is an interesting question, Julieta Tuya. I can't think of a good functional reason for any comma between "everyone" and "everywhere", or after "everywhere". However, using two compounds with "every-" is unusual, and placing a comma before and after "everywhere" seems to make the adverb work something like a miniature non-essential explanatory phrase. I think you'll be safe in using the second version of your sentence.

    It wouldn't surprise me if another member came to a different conclusion. :)
     
    Last edited:
    Hello,
    the comma is redundant here as there isn't any other word to add to the list as in the following": everyone, everywhere, whenever...
    the first alternative is the correct one
     
    Both choices are grammatical. It's a matter of personal preferences. In English, we don't have rules for everything; there are often many ways to phrase and punctuate.
     
    I generally treat commas as indications of pauses when read aloud. When deciding whether to put a comma, I go by gut feeling to see whether I have a pause there, and my gut here agrees with panj: if I pause before everywhere, then I must also pause after it.
     
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