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Comma Usage (/Comma+Usage)

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CapturingControlofCommaCalamity
Doyouavoidcommasliketheplague?Youreneversurewheretoputthem,soyouoptnottousethem.In
theend,yourwritingseemstoruntogetherandreadershaveahardtimefollowingit.
Ordoyouhavetheoppositeproblem?
Doyouconsidercommasthegreatestinventionsinceslicedbread?Youhappilyaddthemanywhereand
everywhere,hopingthemoreyouuse,thecleareryourwritingwillbe.Intheend,yourwritinghassomanythat
itseemschoppyandreadersfeelliketheyreinanunendingseriesofstartingandstopping.
Orareyousomewhereinbetween?
Doyouhaveonlyvaguerecollectionsofcommarules?Youhaphazardlyplacethemhereandtherehoping
someofthemwillgetluckyandlendclaritytoyourwriting.Intheend,yourcommascantbetrustedandleave
readersfrustrated.
Ifcommasaresupposedtobesohelpful,whyaretheysohardtousecorrectly?Beforeweaddresssomebasic
commawritingrules,letsmakesureyouunderstandsometermsinthoserules.
phrase a group of related words missing a subject, predicate (verb + object) or both that cannot stand alone
as a sentence.
guards the house (predicate)
the ancient oak tree (subject)
with crooked old limbs (neither)
Phrases cannot stand alone as a sentence, BUT a sentence can be made from only phrases: The ancient oak
tree with crooked limbs guards the house.
clause a group of related words that has both a subject and a verb
a whole chain of plants and animals is affected
when one speciesdies out completely
independent clause presents a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence
The ancient oak treeguards the house.
A whole chain of plants and animals is affected.
dependent clause a clause that does not present a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence

it depends
onany
andwiki
independent
clause
because
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When one species dies out completely, a whole chain of plants and animals is affected.
presentations!

SomeBasicCommaRulestoRemember:
1.Usecommastoseparateitemsinaseries/listof3ormorewords,phrasesorclauses.
Ineedtobuyeggs,milk,cookies,andrice.
Joeplayssoccerinthefall,basketballinthewinter,andbaseballinthesummer.
Youshouldbrushyourteethwhenyouwakeup,afteryoueat,andbeforeyougotobed.
NOTE:ThelastcommaintheseriesisoptionalONLYifyourwritingremainsclear.Ifyouhavealongor
complexlist,usethelastcomma.Remember,ifyoureunsure,itsalwayscorrecttouseit!

2.Useacommatoseparate2independentclausesjoinedby

forandnorbutoryet so*
*whensomeansasaresult
Jennywantstohelpfeedthepoor,sosheisplanningongoingtoAfricathissummer.
Thedoctorwouldliketoseeyou,buthehasbeenatthehospitalallday.
Whenthe2independentclausesareveryshort,somepeopledon'tusecommas.However,ifyouusea
comma,itisstillokay.
Josephlikescheesecake,butCarollikeschocolatecake.
JosephlikescheesecakebutCarollikeschocolatecake.

3.Iftherearetwoormoreequaladjectivesinarow.
Timisahandsome,smartman.
NOTE:DoNOTuseacommaiftheadjectivesexpressasingleidea.Todecidewhethertouseacomma,try
readingtheadjectiveswithandorreversetheadjectives.Ifthesentencesoundsawkward,doNOTusea
comma.

4.Useacommaafterintroductorywords,phrasesandclausesthatcomeatthebeginningofa
sentence.

a.IntroductoryWord:Oh,Ineedasharperpencil.

Somecommonintroductorywordsthatshouldbefollowedbyacommaincludeyes/no,
however, well, unfortunately, sorry, therefore, consequently, and other transition words.
b.IntroductoryPhrase:Duringthelongmeeting,hefellasleep.
c.IntroductoryClause:Afterthegameended,wewentforpizza.

Commonstarterwordsforintroductoryclausesthatshouldbefollowedbyacomma
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includeafter, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.
presentations!

5.Useacommatoseparateinterrupters.
Interrupterswordsthatbreakupasentenceandaddemphasis.
Youknow,ofcourse,thepurposeofthismeeting.

6.Useacommatoseparateunnecessaryornonessentialappositivesinasentence.
Appositivewordsthataddinformationaboutthenounthatdirectlyprecedesit.UsecommasONLYifitis
NOTnecessarytoidentifythenoun.
Ourprincipal,Mr.Souza,willpresenttheaward.(Hisnameisnotnecessarybecausetheprincipalisstill
presentingtheawardnomatterwhathisnameis.)
Thepresidentofthecompany,whoisaHarvardgraduate,plansonretiringattheendofthemonth.(Itdoesnt
matterwherehewenttoschool.Hesstillthepresidentwhoisretiring.)
ThedocumentarySpaceExplorationwonanaward.(Thenameofthedocumentaryisnecessarytoknowwhich
documentarywon.)

7.Usecommastoseparateanexplanatoryphrasefromtherestofthesentence.
English,thelanguagecomputersspeakworldwide,isalsothemostwidelyusedlanguageinscienceand
medicine.

8.Usecommasbeforeadirectquote.(Wantmoreinformationaboutquotationsandquotationmarks?Goto
DialogueinMrs.SwandasWritingResourceWiki.)
Marksaid,IlovedvisitingChinaandKorea.

9.Useacommatosetoffadistinctshift.
Puppiesareverycute,butmessy.

10.AndbecauseImtiredofseeingit,doNOTuseacommaBEFOREabecausephraseorclauseifthe
meaningdoesntchange,whichisalmostallthetime!
Itseemsthatitwillsnowtodaybecauseofthecoldweatherandredsky.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlBfnqgnhzw&feature=related (letseatgrandpa)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAb3WpMELZ0&feature=related (commasong)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNZ8XFjDFs (electriccompany)

PracticeTime
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Directions:Putcommasinthesentencesbelow.
presentations!

1.MybestfriendwhocomesfromEgyptisaveryniceguy.
2.EvenifittakesalldayIamgoingtofixtheroof.
3.Japaneseisfoodishealthylightandnotveryoily.
4.TherewasfearthatanotherbigwarwouldstartsotheUnitedNationswas

formed.
5.Iwanttogoswimmingtodaybecauseitssohot.
6.Whenyoumeetpeopleforthefirsttimenevertalkaboutreligionpoliticsanda
badboss.
7.JimwantstoseeamoviebutCarolwantstostayhome.
8.Sampleasehandmetheicecreamcone.
9.Ineedtovisitmymotherwashmycarandbuysixstamps.
10. Terryisworkingonaprojectandheshouldbefinishedwithitnextweek.
11. UntilIreachmygoalIwillnotstopworking.
12. Becausesheisonlytwelvesheisnotoldenoughtodrive.
13. Thecara1967fordmustangisveryfast.
14. Theyweresoexcitedbecausetheirteamwonthesoccertournament.
15. IfIdontwakeupintimehewhisperedIwillbeintrouble.
16. Sorrywedonothaveenoughroom.
17. Goldwatchesforexamplearegoingonsaletoday.
18. Wecangotothezooorwecangotothemovietheater.
19. Waitisthereanotherway?
20. Wehavealivelyfunclass.

PracticeTimeAnswers
Directions:Putcommasinthesentencesbelow.(Commasgoafterthehighlightedwords.)
1.Mybestfriend,whocomesfromEgypt,isaveryniceguy.
2.Evenifittakesallday,Iamgoingtofixtheroof.
3.Japaneseisfoodishealthy,light,andnotveryoily.(Lastcommaoptional)
4.Therewasfearthatanotherbigwarwouldstart,sotheUnitedNationswasformed.
5.Iwanttogoswimmingtodaybecauseitssohot.(nocommas)
6.Whenyoumeetpeopleforthefirsttime,nevertalkaboutreligion,politics,andabadboss.
7.Jimwantstoseeamovie,butCarolwantstostayhome.
8.Sam,pleasehandmetheicecreamcone.
9.Ineedtovisitmymother,washmycar,andbuysixstamps.
10.Terryisworkingonaproject,andheshouldbefinishedwithitnextweek.

11.UntilIreachmygoal,Iwillnotstopworking.
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12.Becausesheisonlytwelve,sheisnotoldenoughtodrive.
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13.Thecar,a1967fordmustang,isveryfast.
presentations!
14.Theyweresoexcitedbecausetheirteamwonthesoccertournament.
15.IfIdontwakeupintime,hewhispered,Iwillbeintrouble.
16.Sorry,wedonothaveenoughroom.
17.Goldwatches,forexample,aregoingonsaletoday.
18.Wecangotothezoo,orwecangotothemovietheater.(optional)
19.Wait,isthereanotherway?
20.Wehavealively,funclass.

CommaResources:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/
http://www.myenglishteacher.net/usingcommas.html
Kemper,Dave,Sebranek,Patrick,andMeyer,Verne.WriteSource:aBookforWriting,Thinkingand
Learning.HoughtonMifflinCo.,c2005.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/LanguageArtsKids3249/punctuation.htm

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