comma after present participle phrase: Stretching out..., Congo is

[Stream]

In the following sentence, is the underlined comma (after the parentheses) in the correct position seperating my ideas?

Stretching out over 2,313,414 kilometers squared (about one-fourth the size of the United States of America), Congo is home to various amounts of serious issues (Countries).

 

[cycloneviv]

Yes, it is.

 

[Packard]

In AE, we would say, "Square miles" or "square kilometers" (rarely "kilometers", we have not learned the decimal system in the USA).

You could also, just put the phrase in the sentence without the parenthesis:

Stretching out over 2,313,414 square kilometers ,about one-fourth the size of the United States of America, The Congo is home to various amounts of serious issues (Countries).

I don't understand the meaning of the second sentence. What does the "serious issues (Countries)" mean?

 

[Stream]

In AE, we would say, "Square miles" or "square kilometers" (rarely "kilometers", we have not learned the decimal system in the USA).

You could also, just put the phrase in the sentence without the parenthesis:

Stretching out over 2,313,414 square kilometers ,about one-fourth the size of the United States of America, The Congo is home to various amounts of serious issues (Countries).

I don't understand the meaning of the second sentence. What does the "serious issues (Countries)" mean?

Wouldn't it still be correct if it was in the parentheses? The "(Countries)." is just my citation.

 

[elroy]

Wouldn't it still be correct if it was in the parentheses?

Yes, it would be. Use commas to emphasize the comparison with the size of the United States; use parentheses to minimize its importance.

Packard, if you add the before Congo it (the) should not be capitalized. I'm sure that was unintentional.

 

[Packard]

Yes, it would be. Use commas to emphasize the comparison with the size of the United States; use parentheses to minimize its importance.

Packard, if you add the before Congo it (the) should not be capitalized. I'm sure that was unintentional.

A typo.

 

[languageGuy]

I would disagree with elroy. It would be incorrect inside the parentheses.

 

[elroy]

I would disagree with elroy. It would be incorrect inside the parentheses.

I think there's been a misunderstanding (either on my part or on yours).

Packard suggested that, as an alternative, Stream could put commas instead of parentheses around the phrase.

Stream asked: Wouldn't it still be correct if it was in the parentheses?

I understood "it" as a reference to the phrase and not to the comma.

Of course the comma would not go inside the parentheses.

 

[languageGuy]

I think there's been a misunderstanding (either on my part or on yours).

Packard suggested that, as an alternative, Stream could put commas instead of parentheses around the phrase.

Stream asked: Wouldn't it still be correct if it was in the parentheses?

I understood "it" as a reference to the phrase and not to the comma.

Of course the comma would not go inside the parentheses.

We agree then! (I reread the posts, and I'm still not quite sure what the 'it' is.)