punctuation - "along with the rest of us" at the end of a sentence


Considering this sentence:


They will have to adapt to it along with the rest of us.


... I feel like I want to insert a comma before "along" for emphasis. However, I think it's formally incorrect, but would be fine informally. My reasoning is that along with the rest of us is a dependent clause at the end of the sentence, and that doesn't require a comma.


Am I correct, or have I twisted myself in knots over it all?



Answer



The main point is to communicate your intended meaning as unambiguously as possible. In this case, inserting the comma is what is needed to achieve that objective:


They will have to adapt to it, along with the rest of us.


The comma does not make it incorrect: there is no 'rule' that makes it impermissible to use a comma to mark off a dependent clause. In any case, the requirements of clarity trump all so-called 'rules'.


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