Commas

p. 379

Commas

Keep in mind…“Separating” elements with

commas means placing a comma between two equal elementsHe likes pizza, hamburgers, and

steak.“Setting off” an element means

putting commas before and after itPoe, who wrote “The Raven,” is

buried in Baltimore.

Commas

Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series– Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Horn, and Mr. Diermayer teach

eleventh graders.– Spring Break was too fast, too short, and too cold.When the elements are separated by a

conjunction, no comma is needed.We went running and riding and sailing.

Commas

Place a comma between coordinate adjectives (which modify to the same degree) that come before a noun.– It was a hot, sunny day.– She was a little old lady.

• Notice: “Little” and “old” are not coordinate adjectives. Try the “and/but” test. You would not say “little and old lady,” but you could say “hot and sunny day.”

Commas

Use commas between the main clauses in a compound sentence. (Don’t forget the coordinating conjunction!)– They went to the beach, and they got sunburned.– Some of the students said the classroom was hot,

but others said it was cold.Incorrect: They went to the beach, and got

sunburned.

Commas and Non-essentials

Use commas to set off participles, infinitives, and their phrases if they are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.– The singer Brandy, driving too fast, caused a wreck.– To earn a scholarship, you will have to write an

essay. If the phrase is essential, do not set it off with

commas.

Commas and Non-essentials

Use commas to set off a nonessential adjective clause.– Poe, who wrote “The Raven,” had a tragic life.– Animal Farm, which represents socialist Russia, is

literally a farm run by animals. If the clause is essential, do not set it off with

commas.– Poe is the only writer who fascinates her.

Commas and Non-essentials

Use commas to set off an appositive if it is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.– Oprah Winfrey, a talk show host, is one of the

highest paid people in the U.S.– The Puritans, a strict religious group, dominated

literature at that time. If the appositive is essential, do not set it off with

commas.– Jasmyne’s friend Essence borrowed the book.

Commas with Introductory Phrases

A comma after a short introductory prepositional phrase is not incorrect, but the only time it is necessary is if the sentence might be misread without the comma.– Among those running, women were well

represented.– Before the election candidates will participate in two

debates.

Commas with Introductory Phrases

Use a comma after a long prepositional phrase or after the final phrase in a succession of phrases.– During the coldest part of winter, she caught a bad

cold.– On the first Wednesday after the first Monday of

each month, our book group meets.

Commas with Introductory Phrases

Use commas to set off introductory participles and participial phrases.– Gesturing forcefully, the speaker held her audience

spellbound.– Running after my cats, I sprained my ankle.

Commas with Interruptors

Use a comma to set off an antithetical phrase.In an antithetical phrase, a word such as not or

unlike qualifies what comes before it.– Alaska, not Texas, is the largest state in the

United States of America.– Australia, unlike New Zealand, is an island that is

considered a continent.

Commas and Interruptors

Use commas to set off interjections, parenthetical expressions, and conjunctive adverbs.– Interjections: “oh,” “goodness,” “ah,” etc.– Parenthetical expressions: “on the other hand,”

“in fact,” “by the way,” etc.– Conjunctive adverbs: “however,” “moreover,”

“consequently,” etc.

Commas with Adverb Clauses

Use commas to set off all introductory adverb clauses.– Because it was a beautiful day, we decided to have a

picnic.

Use commas to set off internal adverb clauses that interrupt the flow of the sentence.– Our outing, although it was well planned, did not run

smoothly.

Commas with Adverb Clauses

In general, do not set off an adverb clause at the end of a sentence unless it would be misread without it.– We went home early even though we weren’t tired.

Commas

Use commas to set off titles when they follow a person’s name.– Maria Lopez, Ph. D.– Robert Bentley, governor of Alabama– April Lee, principal– Gus Malzahn, head football coach

Commas

Use commas to separate the various parts of an address, a geographical term, or a date.– Montgomery County, Alabama is your place of

residence.– Our address is 4405 Brewbaker Dr., Montgomery,

Alabama 36116.– The date is Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

Commas

Use commas to set off the parts of a reference that direct the reader to the exact source.– Refer to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, pages 32-33.– We read Act II, Scene iii of The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Commas

Use commas to set off words or names used in direct address.– Dria, will you read this sentence for us?– Remain in your seats, students, until the bell rings.– Don’t be late returning from lunch, Erick.

Commas

Use commas to set off a tag question.– A tag question—such as “shouldn’t I?” or “have

you?”—suggests the answer to the statement that comes before it.

– You read the chapters, didn’t you?– I should put a comma here, right?– I should shut down the computers every afternoon,

shouldn’t I?

Commas

Place a comma after the salutation of an informal letter and after the closing of all letters.– Dear Mom,– Dear Jane,– Yours truly,– Sincerely,

Common Comma Errors

Don’t put a comma…– before a conjunction that comes before a compound

predicate or a compound subject– between two main clauses without a conjunction– between a subject and its verb or between a verb

and its complement

Practice: Common Comma Errors

The quarterback threw the ball, and then slipped.The quarterback, and the running back are good athletes.The North Carolina flag is red, white, blue, and gold, the state flower is the dogwood.What she thought fit to do, was beyond me.On our vacation we will bring, our tent, snack food, and beach clothes.

Practice

Complete the worksheet with a partner. Read carefully and write neatly.When you finish, turn your paper in to the tray.Then return to your seat. You may work on another assignment.