In article >,
PENMART01 > wrote:
>"Julia Altshuler" wrote:
>>First, don't be put off by getting a basic cookbook. Everyone has to
>>start somewhere,* and you'll be a happier cook in the long run if you
>>learn the basics well and build from there.
>>
>>Second, you'll find more potato recipes on the web if you spell it
>>P-O-T-A-T-O. (I'm not normally one to go around correcting spelling,*
>>but in this case,* it makes a difference in achieving your goal.)
>
>Commas are not decorations, nor are parentheses.
>I know, you're an obsessive-compulsive punctuator and/or a hesitant speaker.
>
>
The first of the two commas you flagged were used correctly. The third
comma was not necessary. One way to tell if a comma is needed is to try
the parts of the sentence as separate sentences. Doing this you will see
that both "Everyone has to start somewhere." and "You'll be a happier cook
in the long run if you learn the basics well and build from there." stand
alone as proper sentences. Thus, putting them together with "and" means
that a comma is required.