Punctuation Brain Freeze

[barry1010]

Such a simple thing yet I am suddenly unsure of the correct way to punctuate a very short sentence. I want to thank Bill. Is it:
a) Thank you, Bill.
b) Thank you Bill.

I know I knew this yesterday but I don't today.

[jno]

commas around the names of people you're talking to, barry, thank you.

[dannyk13]

I agree with jno. The comma would have been appropriate if it was Bill,thank you.

[THECORBYLOON]

As Bill is being addressed, there should be a comma

"Bill, stop running!" has the same meaning as "Stop running, Bill!"

Replace "Stop running" with, "Thank you" and both "Thank you, Bill." and "Bill, thank you." are correct.

[barry1010]

I have thanked Bill and thrown in a comma at no extra cost :D

[bhg481]

Well done, barry1010.

[barry1010]

:D

[elliemay1]

I would definitely put a comma

[bednobs]

i customarily end my emails "thanks, Bednobs" or "thank you, Bednobs"
I am never thanking myself, just the other people

[Peter Pedant]

you get 10/10 for anything besides, fank - u bill

[allenlondon]

Not sure that 'Thank you, Bill' is a sentence (or for that matter 'Thank you Bill').

If you're that bothered by linguistic pedantry, then you'd have to be looking at subject-verb-object to begin with!

A

[choux]

I told off my boss who always wrote business letters as "May I take this opportuntity to thank you ...".

Why would anyone need the recipient's permission before thanking them? He also omitted the necessary question mark.

It took him a while to see my pov ;)

[elliemay1]

Of course it's a sentence because it makes sense!
A sentence : // has at least a subject and a main verb to state (declare) a complete thought. Short example: Walker walks.//

[jennyjoan]

B - many years ago you possibly could have put a comma but that was done away with

[Old_Geezer]

I use punctuation to reflect how I'd speak. I'd not pause between you and Bill. But wouldn't see much wrong if one did.

[Old_Geezer]

Unless I was Bill of course, then it'd sound odd without a longer pause than the comma gave.

[allenlondon]

elliemay. You write “A sentence : // has at least a subject and a main verb to state (declare) a complete thought. Short example: Walker walks.//“

And “Thank you Bill”?

Point out the main verb to me, ellie.

[bhg481]

(I) thank you - subject I, verb = thank, Object = you.

[Cloverjo]

I was taught that a) was the correct one. But nowadays with emails, texts, etc. and people not bothering with punctuation at all anything goes.

[elliemay1]

//Walker walks//
Walks=verb

[iluvmargie]

b).