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Is this comma needed or allowed?

  1. As a citizen, I think that this problem undermines the right to privacy.

Or should it be written this way instead:

  1. As a citizen I think that this problem undermines the right to privacy.
tchrist
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icehawk
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    It is a parenthesis, in this case a pragmatic marker (and in this case indicating authority to give the statement in the matrix sentence). As such, 'rules' say set it off from the matrix sentence (the comma is ideal here). Perhaps more importantly, it avoids garden path situations (As a writer I know the possible pitfalls / As a writer I know once said ...). – Edwin Ashworth Feb 07 '15 at 17:06

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