In which sentence are two commas needed: "The dog barked merrily from afar"?

In which sentence are two commas needed: "The dog barked merrily from afar"? - briefly

The sentence "The dog barked merrily from afar" requires two commas for proper punctuation: "The dog barked, merrily, from afar."

In which sentence are two commas needed: "The dog barked merrily from afar"? - in detail

The sentence in question, "The dog barked merrily from afar," requires two commas for proper punctuation and clarity. Let's break down why this is necessary.

In English grammar, interrupting clauses or phrases within a sentence often necessitate the use of commas to enhance readability and prevent confusion. The phrase "from afar" in this context serves as an adverbial modifier describing how the dog barked. To accurately reflect this relationship and ensure the sentence is grammatically correct, two commas are needed.

Here's the corrected version of the sentence: "The dog barked merrily, from afar."

By placing a comma after "merrily," we separate the main action (the dog barking) from its descriptive modifier ("from afar"). This punctuation choice makes it clear that the dog's barking was both merrily and from a distance. Without these commas, the sentence could be misinterpreted or appear grammatically incorrect.

In summary, the correct use of two commas in "The dog barked merrily, from afar" ensures proper grammatical structure and enhances the clarity of the sentence for readers.