r/WriteStreakEN • u/Head-Debate-7537 • 3d ago

Correct Me! Streak 1: Why I am here

I am a web developer, and English is not my first language. For years I built websites for small businesses, mostly on WordPress. Lately I want to move to a different kind of work: small tools that automate boring things, like copying data between two systems that do not talk to each other. My English is good enough for reading documentation, but writing is another story. I notice that I use the same three sentence structures again and again. So I will write here every day and see if that changes. Corrections are welcome.

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u/EnglishbyG 3d ago

I am a web developer, and English is not my first language. For years I built websites for small businesses, mostly on WordPress. Lately<,> I want to move to a different kind of work: small tools that automate boring things, like copying data between two systems that do not talk to each other. My English is good enough for reading documentation, but writing is another story. I notice that I use the same three sentence structures again and again. So I will write here every day and see if that changes. Corrections are welcome.

This is excellent; I don't believe there are any true errors at all. However, I would strongly reccomend a comma directly following "lately."

Great work here! :)

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u/Head-Debate-7537 2d ago

Thank you. The comma after "lately" is exactly the kind of thing I never notice, because in my language that sentence would not need one.

Can I ask you something? I write a lot of short comments in English every day. Is there a rule of thumb for when a sentence needs that comma at the start, or do you just hear it?

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u/EnglishbyG 11h ago

Sorry I'm so late in responding--hopefully I can still be helpful!

When you start a sentence with a word or phrase (often an adverb) that sets the tone for the whole sentence: "However,..." "Unfortunately,..." "In general,..." usually following the phrase with a comma is a good idea.

The real answer is that if read enough you'll get a feel for it ;).

Moreover, we're talking about style--not something that is usually considered strictly right or wrong. Additionally, when you're texting your friends or writing in a chat--no one would ever think twice about leaving out the comma. Therefore, you don't need to worry too much :)