13 Rules For Using Commas Without

Looking Like An Idiot

ChristinaSterbenz

Sep.17,2013,11:39AM

Professor Sterbenz. Business Insider/Mamta BadkarContrary to popular belief, commas

don't just signify pauses in a sentence.

In fact, precise rules govern when to use this punctuation mark. When followed,
they lay the groundwork for clear written communication.

We've compiled a list of all of the times when you need the mighty comma.

1. Use a comma before any coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so,
yet) that links two independent clauses.

Example: "I went running, and I saw a duck."

You may need to learn a few grammatical terms to understand this one.
An independent clause is a unit of grammatical organization that includes both a
subject and verb and can stand on its own as a sentence. In the previous example,
"I went running" and "I saw a duck" are both independent clauses, and "and" is
the coordinating conjunction that connects them. Consequently, we insert a
comma.

If we were to eliminate the second "I" from that example, the second clause
would lack a subject, making it not a clause at all. In that case, it would no longer
need a comma: "I went running and saw a duck."

2. Use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.

Example: "When I went running, I saw a duck."

A dependent clause is a grammatical unit that contains both subject and verb but
cannot stand on its own, like "When I went running ..."

Commas always follow these clauses at the start of a sentence. If a dependent

clause ends the sentence, however, it no longer requires a comma. Only use a
comma to separate a dependent clause at the end of a sentence for added
emphasis, usually when negation occurs.

3. Use commas to offset appositives from the rest of the sentence.

Appositives act as synonyms for a juxtaposed word or phrase. For example,

"While running, I saw a mallard, a kind of duck." "A kind of duck" is the
appositive, which gives more information about "a mallard."

If the appositive occurs in the middle of the sentence, both sides of the phrase
need a comma. As in, "A mallard, a kind of duck, attacked me."

Don't let the length of an appositive scare you. As long as the phrase somehow
gives more information about its predecessor, you usually need a comma.

"A mallard, the kind of duck I saw when I went running, attacked me."

There's one exception to this rule. Don't offset a phrase that gives necessary
information to the sentence. Usually, commas surround a non-essential clause or
phrase. For example, "The duck that attacked me scared my friend" doesn't
require any commas. Even though the phrase "that attacked me" describes "the
duck," it provides essential information to the sentence. Otherwise, no one would
know why the duck scared your friend. Clauses that begin with "that" are usually
essential to the sentence and do not require commas.

4. Use commas to separate items in a series.

For example, "I saw a duck, a magician, and a liquor store when I went running."
That last comma, known as the serial comma, Oxford comma, or Harvard
comma, causes serious controversy. Although many consider it unnecessary,
others, including Business Insider, insist on its use to reduce ambiguity.

There's an Internet meme that demonstrates its necessity perfectly. The sentence,
"We invited the strippers, JFK, and Stalin," means the speaker sent three
separate invitations: one to some strippers, one to JFK, and one to Stalin. The
version without the Oxford comma, however, takes on an entirely different
meaning, potentially suggesting that only one invitation was sent — to two
strippers named JFK and Stalin. Witness: "We invited the strippers, JFK and
Stalin."

5. Use a comma after introductory adverbs.

"Finally, I went running."

"Unsurprisingly, I saw a duck when I went running."

Many adverbs end in "ly" and answer the question "how?" How did someone do
something? How did something happen? Adverbs that don't end in "ly," such as
"when" or "while," usually introduce a dependent clause, which rule number two
in this post already covered.

Also insert a comma when "however" starts a sentence, too. Phrases like "on the
other hand" and "furthermore" also fall into this category.

Starting a sentence with "however," however, is discouraged by many careful

writers. A better method would be to use "however" within a sentence after the
phrase you want to negate, as in the previous sentence.

6. Use a comma when attributing quotes.

The rule for where the comma goes, however, depends on where attribution
comes.

If attribution comes before the quote, place the comma outside the quotations
marks. The runner said, "I saw a duck."

If attribution comes after the quote, put the comma inside the quotation marks.
"I saw a duck," said the runner.

7. Use a comma to separate each element in an address. Also use a comma after a
city-state combination within a sentence.

"I work at 257 Park Ave. South, New York, N.Y. 10010."

"Cleveland, Ohio, is a great city."

8. Also use a comma to separate the elements in a full date (weekday, month and
day, and year). Also separate a combination of those elements from the rest of the
sentence with commas.

"March 15, 2013, was a strange day." Even if you add a weekday, keep the comma
after "2013."

"Friday, March 15, 2013, was a strange day."

"Friday, March 15, was a strange day."

You don't need to add a comma when the sentence mentions only the month and
year. "March 2013 was a strange month."

9. Use a comma when the first word of the sentence is freestanding "yes" or "no."

"Yes, I saw a duck when I went running."

"No, the duck didn't bite me."

10. Use a comma when directly addressing someone or something in a sentence.

My editor often asks, "Christina, is that article up yet?"

Another clever meme shows the problem with incorrect placement of this
comma. "Stop clubbing baby seals" reads like an order to desist harming infant
mammals of the seal variety. The version with a comma, however, instructs them
to stop attending hip dance clubs. "Stop clubbing, baby seals."

11. Use a comma between two adjectives that modify the same noun.

For example: "I saw the big, mean duck when I went running."

Only coordinate adjectives require a comma between them. Two adjectives are
coordinate if you can answer yes to both of these questions: 1. Does the sentence
still make sense if you reverse the order of the words? 2. Does the sentence still
make sense if you insert "and" between the words?

Since "I saw the mean, big duck " and "I saw the big and mean duck" both sound
fine, you need the comma.

Sentences with non-coordinate adjectives, however, don't require a comma. For

example, "I lay under the powerful summer sun." "Powerful" describes "summer
sun" as a whole phrase. This often occurs with adjunct nouns, a phrase where a
noun acts as an adjective describing another noun — like "chicken soup" or
"dance club."
12. Use a comma to offset negation in a sentence.

For example: "I saw a duck, not a baby seal, when I went running."

In this case, you still need the comma if the negation occurs at the end of the
sentence. "I saw a baby seal, not a duck."

Also use commas when any distinct shift occurs in the sentence or thought
process. "The cloud looked like an animal, perhaps a baby seal."

13. Use commas before every sequence of three numbers when writing a number
larger than 999. (Two exceptions are writing years and house numbers.)

For example, 10,000 or 1,304,687.

COMMA RULES EXPLAINED

When it comes to punctuation, knowing when, and when not to, use
commas in writing is the biggest problem most writers face. Correct
comma usage can be hard to learn, but once it is learned, wr iting
becomes both easier and better.

Many writers have been told to use a comma anytime they would pause
while reading a piece of writing. While following this suggestion will lead
to correct comma usage in some situations, there are many other times
when following this guideline will lead to unnecessary comma
usage. Instead of using this as a guideline, there are several specific
rules that dictate when commas should be used. Learning and practicing
these rules will help any writer become better at u sing commas.

Rule #1: Use a comma to separate independent

clauses linked with coordinating conjunctions.
If you have what can be two separate sentences but want to make them
one (creating a compound sentence), use a comma and a coordinating
conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to link them. (More
information on compound sentences) The comma should be placed in
front of the coordinating conjunction.

Examples:

 My English Instructor was a good teacher, and he taught me a lot about

the writing process.
  We left the house later than we hoped, but we still made it to the concert
on time.

Notice how the above sentences can be separated into two different
sentences. For instance, the first example could be written like this:

 My English Instructor was a good teacher. He taught me a lot about the

writing process.

This is also acceptable, but if we want to connect them into one

compound sentence, both a comma and a coordinating conjunction are
needed to make the sentence grammatically correct.

Note: Do not place a comma before a coordinating conjunction when it is

used to link words or phrases.

Examples:

 Correct: I like both English and math (no comma needed). Incorrect: I
like both English, and math (the comma isn’t needed).
 Correct: He acted hungry but wasn’t (no comma needed). Incorrect: He
acted hungry, but wasn’t (the comma isn’t needed).

Rule #2: Use a comma at the end of an introductory

element.
This rule can be confusing because introductory elements are often hard
to identify. Essentially, an introductory element begins a sentence by
providing a transition from the last sentence or background information
before the independent clause. More on independent
clauses) Introductory elements come in the form of prepositional
phrases, subordinate clauses, and transitional expressions. Whenever
one of these is used at the beginning of a sentence, a comma should be
placed after it.

Examples:

 Prepositional phrase: In a hard fought contest, the home team prevailed

after two overtimes.
 Subordinate clause: Because I did well on my final essay, I should be
able to pass the class.
 Transitional expression: For example, Aims offers a variety of services
that can benefit students.

Note: A comma is not always needed after short prepositional phrases

or subordinate clauses, as long as leaving it out does not cause
confusion for the reader. However, using a comma after even a short
prepositional phrase or subordinate clause is never wrong, so if in doubt,
go ahead and use it.

Rule #3: Use a comma to set off nonessential

elements.
A nonessential element is a word, phrase, or clause that is not needed to
complete a sentence. In other words, it can be removed and the
sentence still makes sense and is grammatically correct. If removing the
element changes the meaning of the sentence, it is
essential. Nonessential elements need to be offset with commas, both
before and after.

Examples of nonessential elements:

 I went to the movies with my neighbors, Ron and Sally, and then we
went to dinner.
 The students in my morning class, ENG 121, like to participate in the
discussions.
 Her best friend, Heather, is planning a surprise party for her birthday.

Rule #4: Use a comma to separate items in a list or

a series.
A series or a list is defined as three or more. Anytime there is a list of
three or more items, use a comma to separate them.

Examples:

 I went to the store and bought milk, eggs, bread, and fruit.
 In my American literature class we read The Great Gatsby, All the King’s
Men, As I Lay Dying, and the Grapes of Wrath.

Note: There is often confusion about whether or not to place a comma

in front of the word and in the last item of a list. Generally, a comma
should be placed in front of the and to separate the last item in the list
from the one that proceeds it. Without this comma, readers may think
that the last two items are linked together in the list. The basic rule is
that when in doubt, the comma should be placed in front of the and.
(This rule is often referred to as an “Oxford comma.”)
Rule #5: Use a comma to separate multiple
adjectives.
If more than one adjective is used in a sentence, separate them with
commas or by using and. (This is also referred to as coordinate
adjectives.)

Examples:

 He was a tall, skinny man.

 Her shiny, red, expensive, sports car is envied by the neighbors.

Rule #6: Use a comma to introduce a quotation.

Examples:

 On the student’s paper, the instructor wrote, "Your thesis is well

constructed but should be moved to the end of the introduction."
 He said to me, "I appreciate your willingness to participate in the
classroom discussions."

Rule #7: Use a comma with addresses, dates, and

long numbers.
When using addresses in a sentence, whether specific or not, a comma
should be placed between the street and city, between the city and the
state, and at the end of the address.

Examples:

 Aims Community College is located in Greeley, Colorado.

 Use the address 5401 West 20th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634, for
any mail that needs to be sent to Aims Community College.

When using a specific date in a sentence, a comma should be placed

between the day and the year and also after the year.

Examples:

 August 22, 2011, is the day I began my first semester of college.

 The signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, led to
the founding of the United States of America.
When using long dates in writing, place a comma every thousandths
place, or to separate numbers into groups of three, beginning on the
right.

Examples:

 Denver is called the mile high city because it is roughly 5,280 feet above
sea level.
 My new position will pay me a salary of $40,000 a year.

RULES FOR
COMMA USAGE

Select from the follow ing

If you have a fast connection to the Internet—a T1

line (available in most computer lab situations),
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elaborate version of this page. (Not recommended
for 28 or 56k phone-line connections.)

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PowerPoint, click on the PowerPoint icon
to the right for a brief PowerPoint
presentation on comma usage.
Click HERE for help with Powerpoint.

Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things),

including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
You may have learned that the comma before the "and" is unnecessary, which is fine if
you're in control of things. However, there are situations in which, if you don't use this
comma (especially when the list is complex or lengthy), these last two items in the list
will try to glom together (like macaroni and cheese). Using a comma between all the
items in a series, including the last two, avoids this problem. This last comma—the one
between the word "and" and the preceding word—is often called the serial comma or
the Oxford comma. In newspaper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial
comma, but that is not necessarily a sign that it should be omitted in academic prose.
 Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect
two independent clauses, as in "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third
base."

Contending that the coordinating conjunction is adequate separation, some writers will
leave out the comma in a sentence with short, balanced independent clauses (such as we
see in the example just given). If there is ever any doubt, however, use the comma, as it is
always correct in this situation.

One of the most frequent errors in comma usage is the placement of a comma after a
coordinating conjunction. We cannot say that the comma will always come before the
conjunction and never after, but it would be a rare event, indeed, that we need to follow a
coordinating conjunction with a comma. When speaking, we do sometimes pause after
the little conjunction, but there is seldom a good reason to put a comma there.

For additional information on coordinating conjunctions,

click HERE. See the note BELOW regarding the use of a
comma between two independent clauses when the second
independent clause begins with a parenthetical element or
adverbial clause.

Use a comma to set off introductory elements, as in "Running toward third

base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."

It is permissible to omit the comma after a brief introductory element if the omission does
not result in confusion or hesitancy in reading. If there is ever any doubt, use the comma,
as it is always correct. If you would like some additional guidelines on using a comma
after introductory elements, click HERE.

Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements, as in "The Founders

Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down." By "parenthetical
element," we mean a part of a sentence that can be removed without changing the
essential meaning of that sentence. The parenthetical element is sometimes called "added
information." This is the most difficult rule in punctuation because it is sometimes
unclear what is "added" or "parenthetical" and what is essential to the meaning of a
sentence.

Appositives are almost always treated as parenthetical elements.

 Calhoun's ambition, to become a goalie in professional soccer, is within his

reach.
  Eleanor, his wife of thirty years, suddenly decided to open her own business.

Sometimes the appositive and the word it identifies are so closely related that the comma
can be omitted, as in "His wife Eleanor suddenly decided to open her own business." We
could argue that the name "Eleanor" is not essential to the meaning of the sentence
(assuming he has only one wife), and that would suggest that we can put commas both
before and after the name (and that would, indeed, be correct). But "his wife" and
"Eleanor" are so close that we can regard the entire phrase as one unit and leave out the
commas. With the phrase turned around, however, we have a more definite parenthetical
element and the commas are necessary: "Eleanor, his wife, suddenly decided to open her
own business." Consider, also, the difference between "College President Ira Rubenzahl
voted to rescind the withdrawal policy" (in which we need the name "Ira Rubenzahl" or
the sentence doesn't make sense) and "Ira Rubenzahl, the college president, voted to
rescind the withdrawal policy" (in which the sentence makes sense without his title, the
appositive, and we treat the appositive as a parenthetical element, with a pair of commas).

As pointed out above (Rule #3), an adverbial clause that begins a sentence
is set off with a comma:

 Although Queasybreath had spent several years in Antarctica,

he still bundled up warmly in the brisk autumns of Ohio.
 Because Tashonda had learned to study by herself, she was
able to pass the entrance exam.

When an adverbial clause comes later on in the sentence, however, the

writer must determine if the clause is essential to the meaning of the
sentence or not. A "because clause" can be particularly troublesome in this
regard. In most sentences, a "because clause" is essential to the meaning of
the sentence, and it will not be set off with a comma:

 The Okies had to leave their farms in the midwest because the
drought conditions had ruined their farms.

Sometimes, though, the "because clause" must be set off with a comma to
avoid misreading:

 I knew that President Nixon would resign that morning,

because my sister-in-law worked in the White House and she
called me with the news.

Without that comma, the sentence says that Nixon's resignation was the
 fault of my sister-in-law. Nixon did not resign because my sister-in-law
worked in the White House, so we set off that clause to make the meaning
clearly parenthetical.

When a parenthetical element — an interjection, adverbial modifier, or even an

adverbial clause — follows a coordinating conjunction used to connect two independent
clauses, we do not put a comma in front of the parenthetical element.

 The Red Sox were leading the league at the end of May, but of course, they
always do well in the spring. [no comma after "but"]
 The Yankees didn't do so well in the early going, but frankly, everyone
expects them to win the season. [no comma after "but"]
 The Tigers spent much of the season at the bottom of the league, and even
though they picked up several promising rookies, they expect to be there
again next year. [no comma after "and"]

(This last piece of advice relies on the authority of William Strunk's Elements of Style. Examples our own.)

When both a city's name and that city's state or country's name are mentioned
together, the state or country's name is treated as a parenthetical element.

 We visited Hartford, Connecticut, last summer.

 Paris, France, is sometimes called "The City of Lights."

When the state becomes a possessive form, this rule is no longer followed:

 Hartford, Connecticut's investment in the insurance industry is well known.

Also, when the state or country's name becomes part of a compound structure, the second
comma is dropped:

 Heublein, a Hartford, Connecticut-based company, is moving to another

state.

An absolute phrase is always treated as a parenthetical element, as is

an interjection. An addressed person's name is also always parenthetical. Be sure,
however, that the name is that of someone actually being spoken to. A separate section
on Vocatives, the various forms that a parenthetical element related to an addressed
person's name can take, is also available.

 Their years of training now forgotten, the soldiers broke ranks.

 Yes, it is always a matter, of course, of preparation and attitude.
  I'm telling you, Juanita, I couldn't be more surprised. (I told Juanita I
couldn't be more surprised. [no commas])

Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives. You could think of this as

"That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow" rule (as opposed to "the little old
lady"). If you can put an and or a but between the adjectives, a comma will
probably belong there. For instance, you could say, "He is a tall and distinguished fellow"
or "I live in a very old and run-down house." So you would write, "He is a tall,
distinguished man" and "I live in a very old, run-down house." But you would probably
not say, "She is a little and old lady," or "I live in a little and purple house," so commas
would not appear between little and old or between little and purple.

And what does a comma do, a comma does nothing but make easy a thing that if
you like it enough is easy enough without the comma. A long complicated
sentence should force itself upon you, make you know yourself knowing it and
the comma, well at the most a comma is a poor period that lets you stop and
take a breath but if you want to take a breath you ought to know yourself that you
want to take a breath. It is not like stopping altogether has something to do with
going on, but taking a breath well you are always taking a breath and why
emphasize one breath rather than another breath. Anyway that is the way I felt
about it and I felt that about it very very strongly. And so I almost never used a
comma. The longer, the more complicated the sentence the greater the number
of the same kinds of words I had following one after another, the more the very
more I had of them the more I felt the passionate need of their taking care of
themselves by themselves and not helping them, and thereby enfeebling them
by putting in a comma.
So that is the way I felt about punctuation in prose, in poetry it is a little different
but more so …
— Gertrude Stein
from Lectures in America

Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Because we don't use quoted material
all the time, even when writing, this is probably the most difficult rule to
remember in comma usage. It is a good idea to find a page from an article that uses
several quotations, photocopy that page, and keep it in front of you as a model when
you're writing. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the
sentence that explains or introduces the quotation:

 Summing up this argument, Peter Coveney writes, "The purpose and

strength of the romantic image of the child had been above all to establish a
relation between childhood and adult consciousness."
If an attribution of a quoted element comes in the middle of the quotation, two commas
will be required. But be careful not to create a comma splice in so doing.

 "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many
things."
 "I should like to buy an egg, please," she said timidly. "How do you sell
them?"

Be careful not to use commas to set off quoted elements introduced by the word that or
quoted elements that are embedded in a larger structure:

 Peter Coveney writes that "[t]he purpose and strength of . . ."

 We often say "Sorry" when we don't really mean it.

And, instead of a comma, use a colon to set off explanatory or introductory language
from a quoted element that is either very formal or long (especially if it's longer than one
sentence):

 Peter Coveney had this to say about the nineteenth-century's use of children
in fiction: "The purpose and strength of . . . . "

Use commas to set off phrases that express contrast.

 Some say the world will end in ice, not fire.

 It was her money, not her charm or personality, that first attracted him.
 The puppies were cute, but very messy.

(Some writers will leave out the comma that sets off a contrasting phrase beginning
with but.)

Use a comma to avoid confusion. This is often a matter of consistently applying

rule #3.

 For most the year is already finished.

 For most, the year is already finished.
 Outside the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
 Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.

I have spent most of the day putting in a comma and

the rest of the day taking it out.
— Oscar Wilde
 Grammar English's Famous Rule of Punctuation: Never use only one
comma between a subject and its verb. "Believing completely and positively in
oneself is essential for success." [Although readers might pause after the word
"oneself," there is no reason to put a comma there.]

Typographical Reasons: Between a city and a state [Hartford, Connecticut],

a date and the year [June 15, 1997], a name and a title when the title comes
after the name [Bob Downey, Professor of English], in long numbers
[5,456,783 and $14,682], etc. Although you will often see a comma between a
name and suffix — Bob Downey, Jr., Richard Harrison, III — this comma is no longer
regarded as necessary by most copy editors, and some individuals — such as Martin
Luther King Jr. — never used a comma there at all.

Note that we use a comma or a set of commas to make the year parenthetical when the
date of the month is included:

 July 4, 1776, is regarded as the birth date of American liberty.

Without the date itself, however, the comma disappears:

 July 1776 was one of the most eventful months in our history.

In international or military format, no commas are used:

 The Declaration of Independence was signed on 4 July 1776.

Use Commas With Caution

As you can see, there are many reasons for using commas, and we haven't
listed them all. Yet the biggest problem that most students have with commas
is their overuse. Some essays look as though the student loaded a shotgun with commas
and blasted away. Remember, too, that a pause in reading is not always a reliable reason
to use a comma. Try not to use a comma unless you can apply a specific rule from this
page to do so.

Concentrating on the proper use of commas is not mere form for form's sake.
Indeed, it causes writers to review their understanding of structure and to consider
carefully how their sentences are crafted.
 Comma Before And

Grammarly

BASICS

Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how you’re using and.
There’s no single rule that applies to all situations. You usually put a comma
before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It’s almost always
optional to put a comma before and in a list.

Comma Before And in Lists

A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a list.
Exactly why this particular quirk of comma usage stirs such passions is hard to
say; it’s just one of those things. If you’ve ever heard someone arguing
about serial commas or Oxford commas, this is what they were talking about.

Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up. Grammarly’s writing
assistant can help you make sure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are tip-top on all your
favorite websites.

Your writing, at its best.

Be the best writer in the office.

GET GRAMMARLY

Let’s say your dog has so many great qualities that you just have to tell the
world. When you list your dog’s qualities, you have to use a comma after each
quality you list except the one that comes immediately before and. That comma
is optional.

The dog is young, well trained, and good natured.

The dog is young, well trained and good natured.

The sentence is correct with or without the comma before and. (There are a few
exceptions that require you to use the Oxford comma in a list, but they are pretty

rare.) Just be consistent. Don’t switch back and forth in the same document
between using the Oxford comma and not using it.
By the way, this rule only applies to lists of three or more items. You should
not use a comma before and if you’re only mentioning two qualities.

The dog is well trained, and good natured.

The dog is well trained and good natured.

This is true for proper names, ordinary nouns, verbs, or anything else.

Sam, and Sarah take excellent care of their pets.

Sam and Sarah take excellent care of their pets.

The dog barks, and plays.

The dog barks and plays.

Comma Before And That Joins Two Independent

Clauses

The word and is a conjunction, and when a conjunction joins two independent
clauses, you should use a comma with it. The proper place for the comma is
before the conjunction.

On Monday we’ll see the Eiffel Tower , and on Tuesday we’ll visit the Louvre .

The sentence above contains two independent clauses (highlighted in green),

so it requires a comma before and. (By the way, you can tell they’re
independent clauses because each one could stand on its own as a complete
sentence.)
Here’s a tip: Remember, when you’re joining two independent clauses, you need both a comma
and a conjunction. If you use a comma without a conjunction, you’ll end up with a comma
splice.

Let’s look at another example.

It’s cold outside, and I can’t find my coat.

Once again, we have two independent clauses: It’s cold outside plus I can’t find
my coat. Therefore, we need a comma before and.

Don’t use a comma before and when one of the clauses it’s connecting is
a dependent clause.

Sam tossed the ball , and watched the dog chase it .

The first clause, Sam tossed the ball could stand on its own as a complete
sentence, which means it’s an independent clause. But the second
clause, watched the dog chase it, can’t stand by itself as a complete sentence.
That means it’s a dependent clause, so we should not use a comma before and.

Sam tossed the ball and watched the dog chase it.

Exceptions

But wait! There’s an exception. (Isn’t there always?) When you have two
independent clauses joined together by and, most style guides say that it’s OK
to leave the comma out as long as the two independent clauses are very short
and closely connected. Here’s an example:

Arthur cooked and Melvin cleaned.

It’s not wrong to add a comma before and in the sentence above, but doing so
might make the sentence a little choppy.

Want to learn about other ways to use a comma? Check out our general guide to
comma usage.

Rules for Comma Usage

Grammarly

GRAMMAR TIPS

Ah, the comma. Of all the punctuation marks in English, this one is perhaps the
most abused and misused. And it’s no wonder. There are lots of rules about
comma usage, and often the factors that determine whether you should use one
are quite subtle. But fear not! Below, you’ll find guidance for the trickiest
comma questions.

What Is a Comma?

While a period ends a sentence, a comma indicates a smaller break. Some

writers think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates
words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.

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Comma with Subjects and Verbs

With few exceptions, a comma should not separate a subject from its verb.

My friend Cleo, is a wonderful singer.

Writers are often tempted to insert a comma between a subject and verb this
way because speakers sometimes pause at that point in a sentence. But in
writing, the comma only makes the sentence seem stilted.

My friend Cleo is a wonderful singer.

Be especially careful with long or complex subjects:

The things that cause me joy, may also cause me pain.

The things that cause me joy may also cause me pain.

Navigating through snow, sleet, wind, and darkness, is a miserable way to travel.

Navigating through snow, sleet, wind, and darkness is a miserable way to travel.
Comma Between Two Nouns in a Compound
Subject or Object

Don’t separate two nouns that appear together as a compound subject or

compound object.

Cleo, and her band will be playing at Dockside Diner next Friday.

Cleo and her band will be playing at Dockside Diner next Friday.

Cleo will wear a sparkly red blazer, and high heels.

Cleo will wear a sparkly red blazer and high heels.

When a subject or object is made up of two items and the second item is
parenthetical, you can set off the second item with commas—one before it and
one after it. But you don’t need a comma when you’re simply listing two items.

Comma Between Two Verbs in a Compound

Predicate

You get a compound predicate when the subject of a sentence is doing more
than one thing. In a compound predicate that contains two verbs, don’t separate
them with a comma.

Cleo will sing, and play the banjo.

Cleo will sing and play the banjo.

This mistake is most common when the predicate is made up of long verb
phrases.
I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show, but ran out of time.

I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show but ran out of time.

Don’t use a comma in compound predicates unless there is a chance of

misreading:

Cleo spotted the man who entered the diner, and waved.

In the sentence above, you need the comma to make clear that it was Cleo who
waved, not the man.

Comma Splices

When you want to join two independent clauses, you need a conjunction or
a semicolon. A comma alone isn’t strong enough to join them. This kind of
mistake is called a comma splice.

We were out of milk, I went to the store.

You can fix a comma splice by adding a conjunction or changing the comma to
a semicolon.

We were out of milk, so I went to the store.

We were out of milk; I went to the store.

Or, you can simply write the two independent clauses as separate sentences.

We were out of milk. I went to the store.

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Comma After Introductory Phrase

A comma normally follows participial phrases that introduce a sentence:

Grabbing her umbrella, Kate raced out of the house. Confused by her sister’s sudden change in
mood, Jill stayed quiet.

When an adverbial phrase begins a sentence, it’s often followed by a comma

but it doesn’t have to be, especially if it’s short. As a rule of thumb, if the
phrase is longer than about four words, use the comma. You can also use a
comma with a shorter phrase when you want to emphasize it or add a pause for
literary effect.

After the show, Cleo will be signing autographs. Behind the building there is enough space to
park two limousines. Without knowing why, I crossed the room and looked out the window. In
1816 life was very different. Suddenly, an angry black cat sprang from the shadows.

But, if there is a chance of misreading the sentence, use the comma:

Before eating the family said grace.

Before eating, the family said grace.

Comma Within a Comparison

Don’t use a comma before “than” when you’re making a comparison.

This box is lighter, than that box.

This box is lighter than that box.

Hardcover books are more expensive, than paperback books.

Hardcover books are more expensive than paperback books.

Commas with Interrupters or Parenthetical
Elements

Interrupters are little thoughts that pop up in the middle of a sentence to show
emotion, tone, or emphasis. A parenthetical element is a phrase that adds extra
information to the sentence but could be removed without changing the
meaning of the sentence. Both interrupters and parenthetical elements should
be set off with commas.

The weather I was happy to see was beginning to clear.

The weather, I was happy to see, was beginning to clear.

Geoff’s cooking skills if you can call them skills left something to be desired.

Geoff’s cooking skills, if you can call them skills, left something to be desired.

It was sadly the last day of camp.

It was, sadly, the last day of camp.

Mary unlike Anne is very organized.

Mary, unlike Anne, is very organized.

Comma with a Question Tag

A question tag is a short phrase or even a single word that is added to the end of
a statement to turn it into a question. Writers often use question tags to
encourage readers to agree with them. A question tag should be preceded by a
comma.
These willow trees are beautiful, aren’t they? You didn’t actually write a 600-page vampire
romance novel, did you? I know, right?

Comma with Direct Address

When addressing another person by name, set off the name with commas.

Mom, I can’t find my shoes! Cleo, there’s someone on the phone for you. Hello, Chester.

Comma with an Appositive

An appositive is a word or phrase that refers to the same thing as another noun
in the same sentence. Often, the appositive provides additional information
about the noun or helps to distinguish it in some way. If you could remove the
appositive without changing the meaning of the sentence, it is said to
be nonessential and should be set off with commas. If the appositive is
necessary, it’s said to be essential and it should not be set off with commas.

Nonessential appositives:

My mother, Angela, is a wonderful cook. The painter, one of the city’s most promising young
artists, began showing his work in galleries before he was sixteen. Chocolate, my favorite treat,
always makes me feel better after a bad day.

Essential appositives:

Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven is a classic. Alec Baldwin’s brother Stephen is the most
underrated Baldwin. The detective Sherlock Holmes is one of literature’s greatest sleuths.
Commas in Dates

When writing a date in month-day-year format, set off the year with commas.

July 4, 1776, was an important day in American history. I was born on Sunday, May 12, 1968.

If you are using the day-month-year format, however, commas are unnecessary.

Applications are due by 31 December 2016.

If you are referencing a day of the week and a date, use a comma:

On Tuesday, April 13, at three o’clock, there will be a meeting for all staff. Please join us on
Saturday, June 14, 2010, for the marriage of Annie and Michael.

When you are referencing only a month and year, you don’t need a comma.

The region experienced record rainfall in March 1999.

Comma Between Coordinate Adjectives

When multiple adjectives modify a noun to an equal degree, they are said to be
coordinate and should be separated by commas. One way to tell whether the
adjectives are coordinate is to try switching the order of them. If the sentence
still sounds natural, the adjectives are coordinate.

That man is a pompous, self-righteous, annoying idiot. That man is a self-righteous, annoying,
pompous idiot. The sweet, scintillating aroma of cinnamon buns filled the kitchen. The
scintillating, sweet aroma of cinnamon buns filled the kitchen.

If the adjectives are not coordinate, don’t separate them with a comma.

The adorable, little boy was eating ice cream.

The adorable little boy was eating ice cream.

Comma Before But

Use a comma before the word but if it is joining two independent clauses:

Cleo is a good singer but she’s an even better dancer.

Cleo is a good singer, but she’s an even better dancer.

If but is not joining two independent clauses, leave the comma out.

My teacher is tough, but fair.

My teacher is tough but fair.

Life is, but a dream.

Life is but a dream.

Comma Before And

When you have a list that contains only two items, don’t use a comma before
the and.

My dog Charlie is cute, and smart.

My dog Charlie is cute and smart.

Cleo’s favorite activities are singing on stage, and relaxing in the sunshine.

Cleo’s favorite activities are singing on stage and relaxing in the sunshine.

When correcting a comma splice, that is when joining two independent clauses
with a coordinating conjunction, put the comma before and.
 Commas with Lists

When you have a list that contains more than two elements, use commas to
separate them.

Julie loves ice cream books and kittens.

Julie loves ice cream, books, and kittens.

Julie loves ice cream, books and kittens.

(The comma before the and in a list of three or more items is optional. See
below under Serial Comma for more information.)

Your list might be made up of nouns, as in the example above, but it could also
be made up of verbs, adjectives, or clauses. Imagine, for a moment, that you
have just finished doing three chores. The chores were:

 Cleaning the house and garage

 Raking the lawn

 Taking out the garbage

If you were to list these three chores in a sentence, you would write:

I cleaned the house and garage, raked the lawn, and took out the garbage.

or

I cleaned the house and garage, raked the lawn and took out the garbage.
Serial Comma (Oxford Comma)

As mentioned above, when you are listing three or more items, commas should
separate each element of the list. However, the final comma—the one that
comes before the and—is optional. This comma is called the serial comma or the
Oxford comma.

Mary needs bread, milk, and butter at the grocery store. (With serial comma)

Mary needs bread, milk and butter at the grocery store. (Without serial comma)

I still have to buy a gift, pack the suitcases, and arrange for someone to water the plants while
we’re at the wedding. (With serial comma)

I still have to buy a gift, pack the suitcases and arrange for someone to water the plants while
we’re at the wedding. (Without serial comma)

Whether or not you use the serial comma is a style choice. Many newspapers
do not use it. Many trade books do use it. In your own writing, you can decide
for yourself whether to use it or not—just be consistent.

Keep in mind, though, that occasionally the serial comma is necessary for
clarity.

I dedicate this award to my parents, Jane Austen and Albert Einstein.

The sentence above will almost certainly cause readers to do a double-take.

Without a serial comma, it looks like “Jane Austen and Albert Einstein” is an
appositive, rather than two more elements in a list. To put it another way, the
writer seems to be saying that her parents are Jane Austen and Albert Einstein.
A serial comma eliminates the possibility of misreading, so even if you’re not
using serial commas in your writing, make an exception for sentences like this:
I dedicate this award to my parents, Jane Austen, and Albert Einstein.

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Be the best writer in the office.

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Comma Separating a Verb and Its Object

Don’t separate a transitive verb from its direct object with a comma.

I’m glad I trained, Charlie not to beg for scraps.

I’m glad I trained Charlie not to beg for scraps.

Mary said, she likes chocolate.

Mary said she likes chocolate.

Comma with Nonrestrictive Clause

A nonrestrictive clause offers extra information about something you have

mentioned in a sentence, but the information isn’t essential to identify the thing
you’re talking about. Nonrestrictive clauses are usually introduced
by which or whoand should be set off by commas.

Posey’s Cafe, which Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “which Chester recommended” is nonrestrictive because “Posey’s

Cafe” is already specific. Identifying it as the restaurant recommended by
Chester doesn’t narrow it down any further.

My wife, whom I love dearly, is a brilliant physicist.

The clause “whom I love dearly” is nonrestrictive because you could remove it
and it would still be clear that you’re talking about the same person—“my
wife” is already specific.

Comma with Restrictive Clauses

A restrictive clause adds necessary information about something you have

mentioned in a sentence. Restrictive clauses are often introduced
by that or who and should never be set off by commas.

The cafe, that Chester recommended, is a fantastic restaurant.

The cafe that Chester recommended is a fantastic restaurant.

The clause “that Chester recommended” is essential information in the sentence

above. If you removed it, there would be no way to tell which restaurant you
were talking about.

Comma Between Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that come in pairs (such as either/or,

neither/nor, and not only/but also) and connect words or phrases in a sentence
to form a complete thought. Typically, commas are unnecessary with
correlative conjunctions.

Either the blue shirt, or the red sweater will look good with your jeans.

Either the blue shirt or the red sweater will look good with your jeans.

You can wear a pashmina not only for warmth, but also for fashion.
You can wear a pashmina not only for warmth but also for fashion.

Comma Between Direct Quote and Attributive Tag

An attributive tag is a phrase like “he said” or “she claimed” that identifies the
speaker of a quote or piece of dialogue. Attributive tags can come before, after,
or even in the middle of a quote. Use commas to separate attributive tags from
quotations.

The professor remarked, “How attentive you have been today!” “Once you know the solution,”
Tiffany said, “the whole problem seems very simple.” “You have ice cream on your nose,” my
friend snickered. “When you leave the house,” my mother yelled, “don’t slam the door!”

If a quotation before an attributive tag ends in a question mark or exclamation

point, however, there’s no need for a comma.

“You have a spider on your nose!”, my friend yelled.

“You have a spider on your nose!” my friend yelled.

“Where did that spider come from?”, I asked.

“Where did that spider come from?” I asked.

Comma Inside Quotation Marks

In American English, commas always go before closing quotation marks.

“Pass me that thesaurus,” said Matthew. “If you knew what was good for you, you’d sit down and
finish that essay right now,” my roommate said. “We’re going down to the soup kitchen to help
serve dinner,” her mother called.
In British English, however, the convention is the opposite. If you are writing
for a British audience, put the comma after the closing quotation mark.

Comma Before Parenthesis

Parentheses are used to give additional information to the reader—information

that would disrupt the flow of the sentence if written as a nonrestrictive clause.
Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not before either the
opening or the closing parenthesis. If the sentence would not require any
commas if the parenthetical statement were removed, the sentence should not
have any commas when the parentheses are added.

After opening the new cookie tin, Chester had a hard time replacing the lid. After opening the
new cookie tin (and eating several of the cookies), Chester had a hard time replacing the lid.

After opening the new cookie tin, (and eating several of the cookies), Chester had a hard time
replacing the lid. After opening the new cookie tin (and eating several of the cookies,) Chester
had a hard time replacing the lid.

Comma Between an Article and Noun

Don’t use a comma between an article and a noun.

The company managers accidentally scheduled the, weekly meeting for Saturday. A, bouquet of
flowers may be created using more than one type of flower. I’ll have an, apple.

The company managers accidentally scheduled the weekly meeting for Saturday. A bouquet of
flowers may be created using more than one type of flower. I’ll have an apple.

When speaking, we often pause while we think of the next word we want to
say. In writing, though, there’s usually no reason to add this pause. If you’re
writing dialogue and you specifically want to convey a pause here while
someone is thinking, use an an ellipsis: I’ll have an… apple.

Comma with As Well As

The phrase “as well as” usually doesn’t require commas unless it’s part of a
nonrestrictive clause.

Please proofread for grammatical mistakes as well as spelling.

Spelling mistakes, as well as grammatical errors, are distracting to readers.

Comma with Such As

The phrase “such as” requires commas if it introduces a nonrestrictive clause.

Coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce, do not drop their needles in the winter.

If “such as” introduces a restrictive clause, omit the commas.

Trees such as pine and spruce do not drop their needles in the winter.

Comma Before Too

Using a comma before “too” is optional.

I like bananas too. I too like bananas.

A comma simply adds emphasis.

I like bananas, too. I, too, like bananas.