My answer was:
We will see a play called "Cinderella" on Tuesday.
My teacher says there is a comma after called.
I say if there is a comma there, then doesn't one need to be after Cinderella also?
I'm sorry to disagree with your teacher, but this sentence and the title of the play are too short to warrant a comma.
However, comma usage is sometimes a matter of judgment or a specific style. I agree with you that if one comma is used, another should be also used.
I agree with Ms. Sue and disagree with your teacher. Those quotation marks are there to indicate the name of the play; they are not the beginning of any dialogue ... therefore, no comma.
The use of commas in this sentence depends on the intended meaning. Let's break it down step-by-step:
1. "We will see a play called 'Cinderella' on Tuesday."
- In this sentence, the phrase "called 'Cinderella'" is providing additional information about the play we will see. It acts as an appositive phrase, providing more details or clarification.
- The use of a comma after "called" is optional and depends on personal preference or style guidelines. It is known as a non-restrictive appositive, which means it is supplementary information that can be removed without changing the essential meaning of the sentence.
2. Including a comma after both "called" and "Cinderella":
- Adding a comma after "Cinderella" would create a pause in the sentence, which could imply that the word "Cinderella" is also an appositive modifying the noun "play." This would suggest that there are multiple plays, and the one we will see is specifically called "Cinderella."
- However, without additional context, this interpretation would not be as common. It is more likely that "Cinderella" is the title of the single play we will see, and the use of a comma after "Cinderella" is unnecessary.
In summary, although a comma after "called" is optional, adding a comma after "Cinderella" would create a different meaning that may not be intended.
In this sentence, the comma after the word "called" is actually unnecessary. Adding a comma after "called" in this context would create an unnecessary pause in the sentence.
The general rule is that when a subordinate clause or phrase provides essential information about the subject, no comma is needed. In this case, "Cinderella" is the title of the play you will see, and it provides essential information for understanding which play you are referring to. Therefore, no comma is required after "Cinderella."
So, your original sentence, "We will see a play called 'Cinderella' on Tuesday," is correct without the additional comma.