小小逗號別忽視（以幾例說明）

本文首發於立文悉通微信公眾號（Transystom）

關於逗號，加或不加？加在哪兒？這是個問題。

加或不加？

• Treatment consisted of graded exercises, beta-blockers, avoiding fatty

foods(,) and giving up cigarettes.

在這種情況下，and前的逗號可以加，也可以不加。一般來說，在文章里前後保持一致就好。

但需要注意的是，如果最後一個and前不加逗號，有時可能會讓意思模稜兩可。

• Treatment consisted of graded exercises, beta-blockers, avoiding fatty foods and giving up cigarettes, which have an importance most patients find easy to ignore.

在這句話中，which到底是指cigarettes還是avoiding fatty foods and giving up cigarettes，容易讓人產生疑惑。

讓我們在and前加上逗號：

Treatment consisted of graded exercises, beta-blockers, avoiding fatty

foods, and giving up cigarettes, which have an importance most patients

find easy to ignore.

這樣句意就清晰多了，which是指cigarettes。

• The principal aims are rapid acquisition of strength, minimal tissue damage with minimal inflammation and a good scar.

同樣，如果and前沒有逗號，容易使人認為a good scar和minimal inflammation一併歸with管，所以最好在and前加上逗號：

The principal aims are rapid acquisition of strength, minimal tissue damage with minimal inflammation, and a good scar.

這樣很明確，a good scar就是其中的一個aim。

• The big rise [in mumps] has occurred despite repeated warnings to inoculate young people for whom the disease can be particularly painful.

這句話很容易讓人理解成：需要接種的對象僅僅是那些得腮腺炎後疼得厲害的年輕人，而實際上，這句話要表達的意思是要接種所有年輕人，因為他們得腮腺炎後會疼得很厲害。

造成這種歧義的根本原因就在於for whom前缺少一個逗號。不加逗號就變成了限制性定語從句，對young people進行了限制；加上逗號，從句僅僅是對young people進行補充說明，如下：

The big rise [in mumps] has occurred despite repeated warnings to inoculate young people, for whom the disease can be particularly painful.

加在哪兒？

成對的逗號可以起到括弧的作用，兩個逗號之間的內容就相當於插入語。不過逗號的位置不能隨意擺放。

• The disease can be particularly painful, and in a small minority of cases, a serious threat to health.

既然成對的逗號可以起到括弧的作用，所以可以把逗號之間的內容去掉看看句子是否仍然通順來判斷逗號的位置是否正確。

在上句中，如果把逗號之間的內容去掉，就變了：The disease can be particularly painful a serious threat to health. 顯然，逗號的位置不對。

把第一個逗號放到and後面，即：The disease can be particularly painful and, in a small minority of cases, a serious threat to health.

把逗號之間的內容去掉來檢驗一下：The disease can be particularly painful and a serious threat to health. 沒有問題，這說明第一個逗號應該放到and後面。

* 順便說一下，在論文寫作中，in a small minority of cases最好改為一個具體的百分比數值，而不是一個模糊的表達。

• This option was discussed with, and accepted, by the patient.

檢驗一下，把兩個逗號之間的內容去掉：This option was discussed with by the patient. 這顯然不對。

把第二個逗號移到by的後面，即：This option was discussed with, and accepted by, the patient.

把兩個逗號之間的內容去掉：This option was discussed with the patient. 看來沒有問題。

其實這句話可以不用加任何逗號：This option was discussed with and accepted by the patient.

還可以進一步改進：This option was accepted by the patient after discussion.

本文改編自：Medical Writing: A Prescription for Clarity, Third Edition (Neville W. Goodman, Martin B. Edwards)

在之前的文章中也涉及到關於逗號使用的問題，請參閱：

選擇合適的標點符號可以讓段落層次更加清晰

做一道燒腦題，理解啥叫牽一髮而動全身

英語插入語的用法（值得一看）

名詞並列的連詞和標點用法

日期 / 比較介詞 / 轉陰率和轉化率

however/thus/therefore的注意事項

Namely和逗號的使用/如何找一本書的英文名

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