Hi,
I was recently teaching an ESL writing class, and now I have a question regarding time clauses.

Students had to complete a writing activity where they write complex sentences to discuss what they will do in each of the four seasons.

Most students wrote their first sentence like this: "In the winter before the snow falls, I am going to buy new boots."

I didn't want to overload them with information because they are still at the introductory level, so I did not tell them to insert a comma after 'winter'.
Does that sentence need a comma after 'winter'? I feel like it doesn't because the information that follows is important to the actual time that the speaker is referring to.

Please help!
Thanks :)

Hi

It could be argued that omitting the comma marks the before- phrase as restrictive by implying that there are several winters, but it's only the one before the snow falls when I am going to buy new boots.

Of course, we know there can only be one winter, but inserting a comma does serve to remove any ambiguity by marking the phrase as non-restrictive, which it clearly is.

Though I can't see a problem with logically processing the information in the way it was clearly intended, i.e. without a comma, on balance, I'd say that the before-phrase is probably best set off with commas.


PaulM