It was a dark night + , or
It was a dark night, a prisoner of war who had intended to escape killed the guard and changed into his uniform.
Why not ‘It was a dark night. A prisoner...’?
grammar
asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
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It was a dark night, a prisoner of war who had intended to escape killed the guard and changed into his uniform.
Why not ‘It was a dark night. A prisoner...’?
grammar
asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
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Y. zeng is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday
add a comment |
It was a dark night, a prisoner of war who had intended to escape killed the guard and changed into his uniform.
Why not ‘It was a dark night. A prisoner...’?
grammar
asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
New contributor
Y. zeng is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It was a dark night, a prisoner of war who had intended to escape killed the guard and changed into his uniform.
Why not ‘It was a dark night. A prisoner...’?
grammar
grammar
asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
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asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
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Y. zeng is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
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Y. zeng is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
asked yesterday
Y. zengY. zeng
272
272
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Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday
add a comment |
Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday
Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday
Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday
add a comment |
2 Answers
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The sentence has two independent clauses. Using a comma between them, without a conjunction, is an example of a comma splice. Some comma splices are acceptable—either those that have commas separating very short clauses, or those that are used for intentional stylistic effect. But none of that seems to apply here.
There are several ways it could be repunctuated or rephrased. The more common (including your suggestion) follow:
It was a dark night, and a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night; a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night. A prisoner . . .
It could even be rephrased into a sentence with a single clause:
It was on a dark night that a prisoner . . .
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
add a comment |
As Bulwer-Litton fans will tell you most nights are dark. It is likely a Knight that takes action either as a prisoner or hero of a drama. If the action took place at night then your modification would make sense.
Your choice of making two from one with the first sentence as "It was a dark knight." fails to describe what action the knight took. Better overall if it was "It was on a dark night, a prisoner..." As the comment suggests, it is up to the author.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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The sentence has two independent clauses. Using a comma between them, without a conjunction, is an example of a comma splice. Some comma splices are acceptable—either those that have commas separating very short clauses, or those that are used for intentional stylistic effect. But none of that seems to apply here.
There are several ways it could be repunctuated or rephrased. The more common (including your suggestion) follow:
It was a dark night, and a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night; a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night. A prisoner . . .
It could even be rephrased into a sentence with a single clause:
It was on a dark night that a prisoner . . .
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
add a comment |
The sentence has two independent clauses. Using a comma between them, without a conjunction, is an example of a comma splice. Some comma splices are acceptable—either those that have commas separating very short clauses, or those that are used for intentional stylistic effect. But none of that seems to apply here.
There are several ways it could be repunctuated or rephrased. The more common (including your suggestion) follow:
It was a dark night, and a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night; a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night. A prisoner . . .
It could even be rephrased into a sentence with a single clause:
It was on a dark night that a prisoner . . .
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
add a comment |
The sentence has two independent clauses. Using a comma between them, without a conjunction, is an example of a comma splice. Some comma splices are acceptable—either those that have commas separating very short clauses, or those that are used for intentional stylistic effect. But none of that seems to apply here.
There are several ways it could be repunctuated or rephrased. The more common (including your suggestion) follow:
It was a dark night, and a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night; a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night. A prisoner . . .
It could even be rephrased into a sentence with a single clause:
It was on a dark night that a prisoner . . .
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
The sentence has two independent clauses. Using a comma between them, without a conjunction, is an example of a comma splice. Some comma splices are acceptable—either those that have commas separating very short clauses, or those that are used for intentional stylistic effect. But none of that seems to apply here.
There are several ways it could be repunctuated or rephrased. The more common (including your suggestion) follow:
It was a dark night, and a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night; a prisoner . . .
It was a dark night. A prisoner . . .
It could even be rephrased into a sentence with a single clause:
It was on a dark night that a prisoner . . .
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
answered 9 hours ago
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
19.1k32245
19.1k32245
add a comment |
add a comment |
As Bulwer-Litton fans will tell you most nights are dark. It is likely a Knight that takes action either as a prisoner or hero of a drama. If the action took place at night then your modification would make sense.
Your choice of making two from one with the first sentence as "It was a dark knight." fails to describe what action the knight took. Better overall if it was "It was on a dark night, a prisoner..." As the comment suggests, it is up to the author.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
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Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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As Bulwer-Litton fans will tell you most nights are dark. It is likely a Knight that takes action either as a prisoner or hero of a drama. If the action took place at night then your modification would make sense.
Your choice of making two from one with the first sentence as "It was a dark knight." fails to describe what action the knight took. Better overall if it was "It was on a dark night, a prisoner..." As the comment suggests, it is up to the author.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
New contributor
Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
As Bulwer-Litton fans will tell you most nights are dark. It is likely a Knight that takes action either as a prisoner or hero of a drama. If the action took place at night then your modification would make sense.
Your choice of making two from one with the first sentence as "It was a dark knight." fails to describe what action the knight took. Better overall if it was "It was on a dark night, a prisoner..." As the comment suggests, it is up to the author.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
New contributor
Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
As Bulwer-Litton fans will tell you most nights are dark. It is likely a Knight that takes action either as a prisoner or hero of a drama. If the action took place at night then your modification would make sense.
Your choice of making two from one with the first sentence as "It was a dark knight." fails to describe what action the knight took. Better overall if it was "It was on a dark night, a prisoner..." As the comment suggests, it is up to the author.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
New contributor
Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
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Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
answered 17 hours ago
ElliotElliot
11
11
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Elliot is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
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add a comment |
Y. zeng is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Why not? You will have to ask the author about that.
– GEdgar
yesterday