- "She bought an apple, a banana, and some grapes."
- "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
- "He watched T.V., ate chips, and had pop."
2. Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses.
- "She was invited to the party, but she didn't go."
- "He hit the ball well, BUT he ran toward third base."
- "He was sick, but he still went to school."
3. Use a comma to set off introductory elements.
- "When the cop started to follow him, he realized how fast he was going."
- "When he couldn't hit the ball, he noticed he was holding it upside down."
- "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
4. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
- "Jackie, a girl in my class, laughs to much."
- "My sister, who is a year younger than me, still can't beat me in bowling."
- "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."
5. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
- "I live in a very old, run-down house."
- "That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow"
- "I have very, crummy shoes."
6 Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the sentence that explains or introduces the quotation.
- In his article, Woolley states, �cyberspace was becoming the new final frontier�
- "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."
- "Hey," said Bill, "where are you guys going?"
7 Typographical reasons. Commas divide elements in dates and addresses.
- The computer company relocated its main office from
Cincinnati, OH, to Northern Kentucky.
- The office opened on January 1, 2001, for its first day of business.
- Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.
8 When you begin a sentence with a phrase or dependent clause to introduce a subsequent independent clause, separate the clauses with a comma.
- After many years as a criminal prosecutor, she ascended to the bench.
- Because the witness was unavailable, the judge allowed the introduction of the testimony pursuant to an exception to the hearsay rule.
- I enjoy sending email, so I seldom write by hand anymore.
9 Use a comma to avoid confusion.
- For most, the year is already finished.
- Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
- Just then, Superman saved the day.
10 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining, they are full of exciting adventures
- It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday, I did not do my homework.
Insted, write the above as two sentences each, replacing the commas by periods.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday. I did not do my homework.
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- "When the cop started to follow him, he realized how fast he was going."
- "When he couldn't hit the ball, he noticed he was holding it upside down."
- "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
4. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
- "Jackie, a girl in my class, laughs to much."
- "My sister, who is a year younger than me, still can't beat me in bowling."
- "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."
5. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
- "I live in a very old, run-down house."
- "That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow"
- "I have very, crummy shoes."
6 Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the sentence that explains or introduces the quotation.
- In his article, Woolley states, �cyberspace was becoming the new final frontier�
- "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."
- "Hey," said Bill, "where are you guys going?"
7 Typographical reasons. Commas divide elements in dates and addresses.
- The computer company relocated its main office from
Cincinnati, OH, to Northern Kentucky.
- The office opened on January 1, 2001, for its first day of business.
- Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.
8 When you begin a sentence with a phrase or dependent clause to introduce a subsequent independent clause, separate the clauses with a comma.
- After many years as a criminal prosecutor, she ascended to the bench.
- Because the witness was unavailable, the judge allowed the introduction of the testimony pursuant to an exception to the hearsay rule.
- I enjoy sending email, so I seldom write by hand anymore.
9 Use a comma to avoid confusion.
- For most, the year is already finished.
- Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
- Just then, Superman saved the day.
10 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining, they are full of exciting adventures
- It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday, I did not do my homework.
Insted, write the above as two sentences each, replacing the commas by periods.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday. I did not do my homework.
my home page
- "I live in a very old, run-down house."
- "That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow"
- "I have very, crummy shoes."
6 Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the sentence that explains or introduces the quotation.
- In his article, Woolley states, �cyberspace was becoming the new final frontier�
- "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."
- "Hey," said Bill, "where are you guys going?"
7 Typographical reasons. Commas divide elements in dates and addresses.
- The computer company relocated its main office from
Cincinnati, OH, to Northern Kentucky.
- The office opened on January 1, 2001, for its first day of business.
- Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.
8 When you begin a sentence with a phrase or dependent clause to introduce a subsequent independent clause, separate the clauses with a comma.
- After many years as a criminal prosecutor, she ascended to the bench.
- Because the witness was unavailable, the judge allowed the introduction of the testimony pursuant to an exception to the hearsay rule.
- I enjoy sending email, so I seldom write by hand anymore.
9 Use a comma to avoid confusion.
- For most, the year is already finished.
- Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
- Just then, Superman saved the day.
10 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining, they are full of exciting adventures
- It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday, I did not do my homework.
Insted, write the above as two sentences each, replacing the commas by periods.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday. I did not do my homework.
my home page
- The computer company relocated its main office from Cincinnati, OH, to Northern Kentucky.
- The office opened on January 1, 2001, for its first day of business.
- Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.
8 When you begin a sentence with a phrase or dependent clause to introduce a subsequent independent clause, separate the clauses with a comma.
- After many years as a criminal prosecutor, she ascended to the bench.
- Because the witness was unavailable, the judge allowed the introduction of the testimony pursuant to an exception to the hearsay rule.
- I enjoy sending email, so I seldom write by hand anymore.
9 Use a comma to avoid confusion.
- For most, the year is already finished.
- Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
- Just then, Superman saved the day.
10 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining, they are full of exciting adventures
- It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday, I did not do my homework.
Insted, write the above as two sentences each, replacing the commas by periods.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday. I did not do my homework.
my home page
- For most, the year is already finished.
- Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
- Just then, Superman saved the day.
10 5. Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining, they are full of exciting adventures
- It is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday, I did not do my homework.
Insted, write the above as two sentences each, replacing the commas by periods.
- Stevenson's romances are entertaining. They are full of exciting adventures.
- It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
- It was Monday. I did not do my homework.
my home page