Do ambiguous comma mistakes make a huge difference on AMCAS?

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

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You ever have those moments where you wonder whether or not you need a comma? Some people say you do and others disagree?

For example consider the following two sentences that are identical except for a comma:

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintainence procedures, such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintain a procedures such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

I asked multiple people and almost everyone agreed that the first comma is necessary but some people did not agree whether or not the second comma was necessary.

I guess my point is to ask whether or not a comma mistake is as bad as an obvious typo (,) such as using the wrong version of their/there/they’re.

 

[mimelim]

Your posting patterns on SDN are more indicative of how your application cycle will go than how you use or misuse commas.

 

[JustaDO]

SDN - Someone's Diary Now

 

[mwsapphire]

You ever have those moments where you wonder whether or not you need a comma? Some people say you do and others disagree?

For example consider the following two sentences that are identical except for a comma:

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintainence procedures, such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintain a procedures such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

I asked multiple people and almost everyone agreed that the first comma is necessary but some people did not agree whether or not the second comma was necessary.

I guess my point is to ask whether or not a comma mistake is as bad as an obvious typo (,) such as using the wrong version of their/there/they’re.

They can make or break your application tbh.

 

[laferrari]

No.

 

[Lucca]

check the punctuation guide in my sig for everything you need to know about punctuation. If you want to get really serious check out Strunk and White's Elements of Style, the only grammar book anyone really needs.

 

[wholeheartedly]

check the punctuation guide in my sig for everything you need to know about punctuation. If you want to get really serious check out Strunk and White's Elements of Style, the only grammar book anyone really needs.

That was great!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

check the punctuation guide in my sig for everything you need to know about punctuation. If you want to get really serious check out Strunk and White's Elements of Style, the only grammar book anyone really needs.

What a glowing advertisement for Elements.

 

[Lucca]

What a glowing advertisement for Elements.

To advertise your book on sDN pls Venmo Lucca 10$

 

[Groy]

Commas actually played a huge part in the career paths of two of my colleagues.

One of them properly added a comma in the fourth sentence of his intro paragraph of his application, now he's a chief neurosurgery resident at an ivy league program. The other guy forgot to use a comma in a similar situation, now he cleans toilets at a diner in Hoboken, NJ.

You can never be too careful.

 

[DrRiker]

You ever have those moments where you wonder whether or not you need a comma? Some people say you do and others disagree?

For example consider the following two sentences that are identical except for a comma:

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintainence procedures, such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

After learning more about cars, I became more skilled at maintain a procedures such as changing the oil and rotating the tires.

I asked multiple people and almost everyone agreed that the first comma is necessary but some people did not agree whether or not the second comma was necessary.

I guess my point is to ask whether or not a comma mistake is as bad as an obvious typo (,) such as using the wrong version of their/there/they’re.

I think taking a deep breath would help tremendously.

 

[altblue]

I think taking a deep breath would help tremendously.

He's needed that for the past couple months.

 

[Goro]

Your posting patterns on SDN are more indicative of how your application cycle will go than how you use or misuse commas.

100000000000000% this

 

[DrRiker]

On a real note, you can use the free version of Grammarly or you can buy it for a few more features. If it doesn't find errors, you are probably fine.