modifiers - “Terrified, John locked the door” — Is the comma necessary?


Which one would sound better?


Terrified, John locked the door and switched off the lights.


OR


Terrified John locked the door and switched off the lights.



Answer



The first one is best, because John is a name and terrified is an adjective describing John. If you don't add a comma, then you're naming him Terrified John.


If you need a grammatical explanation (the rule), then I'll let the other people explain.


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