Adjective: describe Noun: person, place, thing Verb: action

Definitions: Subject: The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something. You can find the subject of a sentence if you can find the verbverb Clause: A group of words with a subject and a verb that is part of a sentence.

Before we discuss commas, let’s review the types of sentences there are:

Commas! a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list.

Commas Commas are used to separate items or enclose items Conjunctions: A conjunction is the part of speech that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences – For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So – (FANBOYS)

Commas that Separate Without commas, some items in a sentence would run into one another, causing confusion or misunderstanding. The following are specific situations in which commas should be used to separate items.

Items in a Series Three or more similar items together form a series. Ex: I need to buy paper, pencils, and pens. Ex: Did you look in the closet, behind the sofa, and under the bed? Ex: I don’t know what time the meeting is, where it is, or what its purpose is.

Adjectives before a Noun Sometimes a comma should separate two adjectives that are not connected by a conjunction: We followed the steep, winding road to their house. adjectives

Easy Way to Know if You Need a Comma If the sentence makes sense with AND between the adjectives, a comma is needed. Ex: Don’t lean on that old, rickety table – (old AND rickety table reads well) Ex: Don’t lean on that old picnic table – (old AND picnic table does not read right).

Look at Part One on your Comma Worksheet and Place Commas Where Needed 1.Billy Joe can hit well run fast and play left field like a professional. 2.Apples are an inexpensive delicious fruit. 3.The boat rolled and pitched and tossed in the stormy waters. 4.Young growing spiders can regenerate missing legs. 5.Hot humid weather does not bother me at all.

Check your answers 1.Billy Joe can hit well, run fast, and play left field like a professional. 2.Apples are an inexpensive, delicious fruit. 3.The boat rolled and pitched and tossed in the stormy waters. 4.Young, growing spiders can regenerate missing legs. 5.Hot, humid weather does not bother me at all.

Compound Sentences A compound sentence becomes a run-on sentence when independent clauses are not separated. Compound sentence: A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses. Run-on: two or more main clauses that are not separated by a period or semicolon or joined by a conjunction Independent clause: a sentence that can stand alone as a complete sentence

Compound Sentences A comma is usually placed before the conjunction in a compound sentence. Ex: Come to my house, and we’ll study for the test. Ex: The octopus swims forward, but it walks backwards.

Compound Sentences A comma is not needed in a very short compound sentence—unless the conjunction is yet or for No comma: He left but I stayed. Comma: I waited, for I was curious.

Copy these FIVE sentences and correct them if needed. 1. I made a fire for it was very chilly. 2. My throat was sore and my head was hot. 3. The curtain rose and the play began. 4. It’s warm outside yet I feel cold. 5. The earth was once entirely liquid but the surface has cooled into a hard crust.

Check your answers! 1. I made a fire, for it was very chilly. 2. My throat was sore and my head was hot. 3. The curtain rose and the play began. 4. It’s warm outside, yet I feel cold. 5. The earth was once entirely liquid, but the surface has cooled into a hard crust.

Using Commas with Introductory Elements Certain words, phrases, and clauses that come at the beginning of a sentence need to be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.

Examples of Introductory Elements Why, I think I can be ready at six o’clock. Other introductory words: no, now, oh, well, yes

Examples of Introductory Elements After five hours on the plane, I never want to sit down again. A comma comes after a prepositional phrase of more than four words. *do not place a comma after an introductory phrase that is followed by a verb. Ex: Into the center of the target landed the arrow.

Examples of Introductory Elements Opening my grammar book, I found my missing class notes. Since the day was overcast, I took an umbrella to school with me. In Room 151, 100 people had gathered.

Copy these FIVE sentences and correct them if needed. 1. Now this is your last chance. 2. Since the invention of Coca Cola only seven people have known its formula. 3. Climbing the steep trail we often had to stop and rest. 4. From here you can see five other states. 5. In ,216 new books were published in the United States.

Copy these FIVE sentences and correct them if needed. 1. Now, this is your last chance. 2. Since the invention of Coca Cola, only seven people have known its formula. 3. Climbing the steep trail, we often had to stop and rest. 4. From here you can see five other states. 5. In 1978, 41,216 new books were published in the United States.

Commonly used commas Use commas to separate the elements in dates and addresses. Ex: On Monday, March 9, 1964, my parents were married. Ex: Our school’s address is 5051 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Commas that Enclose Use commas to set off nouns of direct address Ex: Randy, do you know who won the game? Use commas for parenthetical expressions Ex: Labor Day, like Thanksgiving, is a legal holiday.

Use commas to identify nouns in the sentence Ex: Mr. Roberts, our track coach, just got married. Ex: We just returned from Albany, the capital of New York.

Copy these THREE sentences and correct them if needed. 1. Randy not Stewart won the 100-meter race. 2. The elephant seal by the way is the largest animal in America. Our school just put on the musical Camelot.

Check your answers! 1. Randy, not Stewart, won the 100-meter race. 2. The elephant seal, by the way, is the largest animal in America. Our school just put on the musical Camelot.