comma

[Anonymous]

Do we need the comma or not? I think both are correct with different meanings. Am I right?
1. He is a carpenter(,) as were his father and grandfather.
2. He runs a garage(,) as do his father and brothers.

Thanks.

[Pete]

Do we need the comma or not? I think both are correct with different meanings. Am I right?
1. He is a carpenter(,) as were his father and grandfather.
2. He runs a garage(,) as do his father and brothers.

Thanks.
1. He is a carpenter, as were his father and grandfather.
-- I think this one needs the comma. I can't think of any other meaning without the comma. Here, the clause beginning with as is a non-restrictive relative clause. It means that his father and grandfather also were carpenters.


-- With #2 you are correct that the presence of the comma affects the meaning:
2. He runs a garage, as do his father and brothers.
-- Very similar to #1; with the comma, the second non-restrictive relative clause says that his father and brothers also run a garage.

2a. He runs a garage as his father and brothers do.
-- Here without the comma, the clause beginning with as is an adverbial clause, saying that he runs a garage the same way that his father and brothers do. Note that you would not have subject/verb inversion in this sentence.