“Actually”: where is the comma placed? Is "actually" separated by commas? Is it actually isolated?

In fact

adverbial expression and introductory expression

1. Adverbial expression. The same as “in reality, in fact.” Does not require punctuation.

Distant, alien, as if In fact foreigners, Aniskin and Luka, were sitting at the table, with non-rustic movements, putting their little fingers aside, raising their glasses of vodka, but in their own way they squinted, their eyes became inexplicably cold. V. Lipatov, Village detective. Boris Grigorievich's office In fact It was not an office of any kind, but was simply part of a room, fenced off by several low cabinets... V. Pelevin, Prince of the State Planning Committee. What was called a heavy artillery battalion were In fact three cannons and four tractors: two incomplete batteries . G. Baklanov, The dead have no shame.

2. Introductory expression. The same as “actually speaking, in fact.” Identified by punctuation marks, usually commas. For details on punctuation for introductory words, see Appendix 2. ()

What else does a person really need? A. and B. Strugatsky, A billion years before the end of the world.

@Examples from fiction show that the words “actually” in the vast majority of cases are not separated by commas.

Dictionary-reference book on punctuation. - M.: Reference and information Internet portal GRAMOTA.RU. V. V. Svintsov, V. M. Pakhomov, I. V. Filatova. 2010 .

Synonyms:

See what “really” is in other dictionaries:

Indeed- Indeed … Spelling dictionary-reference book

Indeed- 1. see most; in sign. adv. In fact; really, exactly. He really is a real scientist. They think I'm worse than I really am. 2. see most; in sign. introductory collocation Indeed, it is true; in the end. Don't cry, really... Dictionary of many expressions

Indeed- Cm … Synonym dictionary

In fact- Cm … Synonym dictionary

Indeed- Unism. Really. = Actually. With verb. nesov. and owls kind, with adj.: how? actually speak, know, say, find out...; really healthy, cheerful... “There is news, and amazing: Fyodor Ivanovich Lavretsky has arrived.” - “So you saw... ...

In fact- Unism. In fact, in fact. = Indeed. With verb. nesov. and owls kind of: how? in fact, to be, to know, to want, to know, to desire... At first glance, the old woman could have been given the impression of being about sixty years old, although in fact she was younger. (M.... ... Educational phraseological dictionary

Adverbial expression, introductory expression, particle 1. Adverbial expression. The same as “true, accurate.” Not marked with punctuation. Kovrin spoke kindly and convincingly, but she continued to cry, shaking her shoulders and squeezing her hands, as if she were in... ... Dictionary-reference book on punctuation

Indeed- Razg. 1. Indeed; Truth. Sergei Sergeevich took a bottle and two glasses from his spacious jacket and put them on the table. This is cognac, he said... The cognac is magnificent. We sat down. The cognac actually turned out to be good (Chekhov. From friends). 2. In… … Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language

In fact- see the very 1), 2) = really Braves, but in fact a coward. Apologize! Really, what is it worth to you? ... Dictionary of many expressions

Indeed- I predic. An evaluative characterization of something as corresponding to the truth. Part II decomposition 1. Used when confidently confirming someone’s words or when expressing agreement with someone’s statement, corresponding in meaning to the words: yes, so, ... ... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova

Books

Business is under attack. The naked truth about what really happens in the world of business, Vermeulen Frick Category: Business psychology Publisher: Pretext, Buy for 2371 rub.
Business is under attack. The naked truth about what really happens in the world of business, Vermeulen F., Have you ever seen a big difference between how companies actually make important strategic decisions and how they portray this process? The author shows that in fact... Category: Business management Series: non-serial edition Publisher:

The expression “actually” can be separated by a comma from the rest of the sentence, but most often a comma is not needed. It depends on whether the combination is an introductory construction or an ordinary part of a sentence.

“Actually” is separated by commas

On both sides

The question of whether a comma is needed when expressing “actually” depends on the question of whether this combination is introductory or not. If it can be replaced by the word “really”, it can be rearranged or completely discarded without loss of meaning, then we have introductory words; they are separated by commas on both sides.

What kind of stupid job is this, really?
Have you actually read this book?

Before the phrase

If the expression “actually” is at the end of a sentence, then only one comma is required - before these words.

What is this really happening!?
We're not children anymore, really.

We see the same thing if this expression is at the beginning of a separate phrase: there is a comma before it, but not after it.

We drove along a dirt road, which in fact hardly resembles a road.
We left the professor, who was actually very worried.

Similar punctuation is required if “actually” appears at the beginning of a new part of a complex sentence.

We looked for him for half an hour, but in fact he had already left.
Peter insisted that he was late; in fact, he was not at school at all.

After the phrase

When combining “in fact,” where should we put commas if it is at the very beginning of the sentence or after the conjunction? The answer is simple: only after the expression.

In fact, it's time to go home.
But in fact, he does not know the solution to the problem.

"Actually" is not separated by commas

This expression is not isolated unless it is an introductory construction. In this case, the words from this combination can be posed with questions from other members of the sentence. Much more often, the expression “in fact” is not an introductory word, but an ordinary circumstance and is not distinguished by commas.

Do you know..

Which option is correct?
(according to last week’s statistics, only 74% answered correctly)

There are phrases in the Russian language that cannot be immediately mentioned - these are introductory constructions or members of a sentence, which, of course, creates a certain complexity in the formulation. Today we will consider one such case. Is it necessary to separate “actually” with commas?

The rule itself

Nominally there is nothing to be confused about. If the object of research is an introductory combination and it is similar in meaning to the expressions “actually” and “in fact,” then commas are always used. But when the meaning is “actually” and “in reality,” then commas are completely unnecessary.

The reader was probably horrified by the subtleties of isolation or, conversely, non-isolation; let him not despair. Practice shows that authors of fiction also prefer not to rack their brains over commas and not to use them in this case.

In addition, no matter how you look at it, it is very difficult for even the author himself to understand whether he is expressing some kind of emotion, which means “in fact” is set off with commas, or whether he is stating a fact that actually took place. All this is very contradictory and conditional. And it would be okay if there was only one author. What if there is another editor who sees the text a little differently. In any case, here are some examples:

“Vanya actually drank a liter of milk.”
“I actually already packed my things and came to say goodbye.”

Mentally replace “actually” in the second sentence with “actually”, and nothing will collapse.

The only problem is that there is also a double interpretation possible here. After all, the nameless hero really packed his things. Therefore, whatever one may say, it is worth recognizing the wisdom of the authors of fiction who answer negatively to the question: “Is ‘really’ separated by commas?”

You can eliminate the structure and forget about it

The easiest way to save yourself from suffering is to remove the introductory phrase from the phrase, even if it is not one. In many sentences where there is an object of study, the latter, of course, adds some colors, shades of meaning, but they can be neglected in order to save oneself from linguistic torture.

For example:

“The color of the car was actually blue.”
"Lena could actually play Chopin."

To be honest, in the second sentence I still want to remove the commas, and this, in turn, proves the correctness of our previous thought: in such constructions “in fact” can be removed without any embarrassment or damage to the meaning.

Another way is to strive for greater clarity

Respecting language practice, you need to write sentences so that they are not ambiguous. In other words, you can get rid of introductory words, even if they are not at all introductory. In the two examples above, nothing will change if we remove “in fact”, and the commas will have absolutely nothing to do with it - how wonderful that is!

If you really can’t get away from the object of research, then you can use it safely. Moreover, tradition does not insist on highlighting it, for example, in the following sentences:

“No, Seryoga, you’re not telling everything like that, in fact, everything was like this.”
"I didn't get a '4', in fact I got a '5'."

Here, there is no question whether a comma is placed after “actually” or not. Everything is really obvious. And when there is no opposition between two points of view, then it can be interpreted either way.

Synonyms are salvation

The correct remedy is to replace it with a synonym, or rather, with a semantic analogue. Moreover, this should not be a replacement of one for another, sewing for soap. The sentence must be shifted towards either the introductory combination or that element of the sentence that does not need to be isolated.

But, when you no longer have the strength to choose and are tormented by the question of whether “in fact” is highlighted by commas or not, you can resort to replacements and thereby put an end to the torment. Replacement options:

in reality (usually does not require commas, but the author can do anything);
practically (does not need isolation);
actually (similar to the previous one);
turns out (may or may not stand out, depending on the context);
indeed (similar to the previous one).

In other words, if you can painlessly replace the object of study with the words that occupied the first three positions in the list, then commas are not needed.

Author, editor, reader

The topic is complex and dual. And in fact, nothing definite can be said about it, because the will of the author decides a lot here. The reader as an addressee will accept any author's position. If he is educated enough, he will find an explanation for why in one place or another “actually” is separated by commas or, conversely, not separated. In this sense, the reader is more tolerant than the editor.

The editor, on the other hand, may have a different opinion about the text that is in front of him. In the end, what matters is who is the final authority for whom it is written.

The Russian language is so complex that almost any difficult rule has several exceptions, so you cannot choose just one way of writing. When a person is completely exhausted and cannot understand whether a comma is needed after “in fact” or not, then let him turn to the word “it turns out.” The truth here is that we need to look at the context. For example, three sentences:

“I call him and call him, but it turns out he’s sleeping.”
“I knock and knock on him, but he doesn’t really hear.”
“He ends up where he always dreamed.”

The first two cases express the attitude of the speaker, and in the third “in fact” cannot in any way replace “it turns out”, because the meaning of the sentence will “float”.

But the good news is that, we keep repeating, tradition insists on the absence. Therefore, the final answer to the main question is this: commas are not needed.

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The world around us is amazing and diverse. Of course, it is impossible to know everything in the world, but still there are such obvious things that we should be a little ashamed not to know.

website I have collected several basic facts that can be useful in life and simply must be generally known.

14. Frankenstein is the name of a scientist, not the name of a monster.

We are thinking: Frankenstein is a character in novels, films, and theatrical productions - a monster, a monster who has risen from the dead.
In fact: In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, Victor Frankenstein is a student who creates a living being from dead matter. The revived creature turns out to be a monster. But this monster did not have a name in the original source. Frankenstein's monster is the correct name for this character.

13. Hypothermia is not the cause of a cold

We are thinking: If you're cold outside, expect a cold.
In fact: What we call the common cold is a viral infection. This means that it can be caused by a virus that is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person. Another thing is that cold weather may be favorable for the virus: according to a new study, at low temperatures the number of antiviral signals produced by the immune system is sharply reduced. But still, if the virus does not enter your body, then cold weather will definitely not give you a cold.

12. The expression “third world countries” has nothing to do with poverty and backwardness

What we think: When we say “third world countries,” we mean poor developing countries.
In fact: After World War II, the world was divided into 3 large geopolitical blocs. The “First World” began to be called the block of democratic countries in the US sphere of influence, and the “Second World” - the eastern bloc of socialist states. And the “third world” is the remaining 3/4 of the countries of the world that were not part of any bloc.

11. Chameleons don’t change their skin color to blend in with their environment.

We are thinking: The chameleon changes its color when it is in danger in order to blend in with its surroundings and become invisible.
In fact: The change in skin color of this animal is caused by its emotional and physiological state. It is also a unique way of communicating with other animals and regulating body temperature.

10. Deodorant and antiperspirant are not the same thing.

We are thinking: Deodorant and antiperspirant are synonyms, they act according to the same scheme, they have the same purpose.
In fact: Our sweat has no odor. The unpleasant odor that we smell is due to the proliferation of bacteria. Antiperspirants are designed to fight moisture - namely sweat, while deodorants only fight odor. A deodorant is a cosmetic product, but an antiperspirant temporarily changes the functioning of the skin, suppressing the secretion of sweat.

9. Ducks should not be fed bread.

We are thinking: How nice it is to sit on the river bank on a fine day and feed the ducks a loaf of bread.
In fact: Such food is not healthy for ducks and is even dangerous. The fact is that bread does not contain any nutrients for birds, but they like its taste. They fill their stomachs with bread and do not get truly healthy food. This diet leads to disease when the ducks' wings become deformed.

8. Each of us has the perfect six-pack abs

7. Small bumps on the letters F and J on the keyboard - for optimal finger position

We are thinking: What are these strange convex stripes on the letters F and J for? Maybe for blind people?
In fact: When we type, our fingers rest on the A, S, D and F keys (left hand) and J, K and L (right hand). you can immediately position your fingers without looking at the keyboard, and these convex lines were drawn on which you need to place both index fingers.

6. Fish should not be kept in a round aquarium.

We are thinking: A round aquarium with a goldfish is an excellent decoration for your home, and also a great pet. You can often see such a picture in movies and cartoons.
In fact: Such aquariums are very harmful. Firstly, there is no place for a filter - the water in the aquarium quickly becomes dirty, and daily water changes are a lot of stress for the fish. There is no room for a heater either - hence the large temperature fluctuations. The area of the upper edge of the water is small, which means that the amount of oxygen dissolved in it decreases. And these are not all the arguments against such an inhumane aquarium.

5. The rear view mirror in the car can be switched to night mode to prevent you from being blinded.

We are thinking: It’s terribly unpleasant when at night the light from car headlights reflected in the mirror seems to hit you straight into your eyes. But nothing can be done.
In fact: Most cars have manual rear view mirrors. If you have one, then simply click the loop on the bottom of the mirror. The angle of the reflection will change, allowing you to see everything behind you without being blinded.

And we helplessly indulge them!

In fact, the concept of “false words” does not exist as such. But we really like it. Well, what else can you call the words that everyone (okay, a lot of people) take as introductory words, highlight them with commas, but you don’t need to do this. We have compiled for you a list of words that brazenly beg us for a comma and don’t even blush.

Right: What do you really think?

A false introduction word is contradictory, which may or may not be isolated. The main thing here is to distinguish the adverbial combination “actually” from the introductory one in time, so that you don’t put commas at random. “In fact” can be isolated as an introductory combination with the meaning “actually, in fact” (often with bewilderment): “What else, in fact, is needed for happiness?” Or “Well, what are you really saying!” But more and more often in a sentence this combination turns out to be an adverb with the meaning “in fact, in fact” - then a comma is not needed. If you are still afraid of getting confused, remember that in fiction, authors prefer not to isolate rather than to isolate.

Right: I skipped gym one day

Another favorite word for fans of commas. The adverb “once” is used as an introductory word about as often as “actually”. Very in vain! Introductory words, as a rule, do not answer any questions, but the word “one day” can be used to ask a simple question. When did you skip physical training? One day!

Right: however there are exceptions

Perhaps the record holder for falsehood is the word “however”. If “however” is at the beginning of a simple sentence and can be confidently replaced with “but”, it means that this is not an introductory word, but a conjunction. A comma can be used if after “however” there is another isolated phrase, for example: “However, according to British scientists, slippers increase performance.” If “however” is in the middle or at the end of a sentence, then it may well be an introductory word with the meaning of opposition: “How he tricked me, however.” But not in our example.

Right: Well, autumn has come

“Here” is a demonstrative particle that is very rarely separated by commas. A comma is placed if the sentence following it reveals its specific meaning. For example: “Here, take your coffee.” And if you want to highlight “well” with commas, try to pull yourself together and not give in to temptation. “Well” can indeed be separated by commas when it takes on the role of an interjection, but more often it is a particle. Distinguishing a particle from an interjection can be difficult. The particle enhances what has been said and is usually pronounced together with the following words: “Well, that’s all,” “Well, no,” “Well, that’s it!” And the interjection always stands out intonationally and encourages action: “Dad, come quickly!”

Right: nevertheless, students continue to be trained for the Unified State Exam

For some reason, I especially want to put a comma after the intensifying particles. The combination "nevertheless" can be a conjunction or a particle. In one case, the word is separated by a comma from the next part of a complex sentence as a conjunction (“Petya hates math, yet he always gets A’s”), and in the other, it is not separated by commas at all, as in the example above.

Right: that is, it is not what you do that matters, but how you do it

Another clarification word that is never introductory. We sympathize with everyone who has highlighted this word with commas all their lives. We'll have to relearn. “That is” is a conjunction; a comma is placed only before it. And if in some texts you noticed a comma after it, it was definitely for other reasons. For example, to isolate the following (introductory) word or subordinate clause: “That is, unfortunately, you will have to completely rewrite the essay.”

Right: you've probably heard about rap battles

There are words that just beg to be separated with commas. “Surely” is an adverb, and adverbs, as we know, are not separated by commas. True, some dictionaries make distinctions. If “surely” means “exactly,” then commas are not needed. And if there is a tinge of doubt (“probably”, “apparently”), then supposedly commas are added. But judging by the examples from books and others, the “without commas” option is much more common.

Right: maybe it will work out!

Another tricky particle, and a colloquial one at that, which very efficiently extorts a comma from us. Yes, some dictionaries (for example, the dictionary of Ozhegov and Shvedova) classify “maybe” as an introductory word, but this is not entirely true. And as written practice shows, “maybe” (meaning “maybe”, “suddenly”) is usually not separated by commas. It can also be a noun (“Maybe I hoped it was Russian”).

Right: he supposedly studied English for a year

The word “Supposedly,” as we like, can be both a conjunction and a particle. We separate the conjunction with a comma from the other part of the sentence (on the one hand, if there is no further separate phrase). And the particle that indicates “assumption” and “doubt” does not need to be highlighted with commas or other punctuation marks. “He pretended to be reading a book.”

Right: the film was ridiculous and at the same time brilliant

To check the part of speech in this sentence, it is enough to ask the question: when was the film brilliant? - "At the same time". This means that we have an adverbial expression, and we remove the commas to the side.

Right: she made at least three mistakes

Another adverb with the meaning “the least”, which does not require punctuation. True, sometimes the author’s highlighting with commas is still allowed to emphasize the intonation pause.

Right: in the end everything ended well

“Ultimately” or its analogue “ultimately” are adverbial expressions that are often mistaken for introductory words. The main thing is not to confuse it with another similar combination “in the end”, which in some meanings is used as an introductory one and is isolated.

Right: He was especially good at chemistry

We have no idea who came up with the idea that the adverb “especially” (and an obvious one at that) should be set off with commas. And even call it introductory. If “especially” is at the beginning of a sentence, then there is no punctuation at all. And if a connecting phrase with clarifications or explanations begins with the word “especially”, then the entire phrase is isolated. “Lena did not like literature, especially Gogol and Dostoevsky.”