The Comma

Without them it creates confusion Has rules but can be debatable Punctuation The comma Helps readers Without them it creates confusion Has rules but can be debatable

The comma Before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) Jack has no talent for numbers so he hires someone to prepare his taxes. Jack has no talent for numbers, so he hires someone to prepare his taxes.

The comma After an introductory word group If you cook Elmer will do the dishes. If you cook, Elmer will do the dishes

The comma Between items in a series Bubbles of air, leaves, ferns, bits of wood, and insects are often found trapped in amber. *The last comma is optional but most agree that it avoids confusion to keep it.

The comma Between coordinate adjectives, those that each modify a noun separately. Should patients with severe, irreversible brain damage be put on life support systems?

The comma To set off a nonrestrictive element, but not a restrictive element. Restrictive—defines or limits the meaning of the word—essential to the meaning The campers need clothes that are durable. Non Restrictive—describes a meaning that is already clear but not essential. The campers need sturdy shoes, which are expensive.

The Comma The Kyoto Protocol which was adopted in 1997 aims to reduce greenhouse gases. A corporation that has government contracts must maintain careful personnel records.

The Comma To set off transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, and contrasted elements. Transitional: Minh did not understand our language; moreover, he was unfamiliar with our customs.

Parenthetical expressions—interrupts flow: Evolution, so far as we know, doesn’t work this way. Absolute phrases: Our grant having been approved, we were at last able to begin the project. Contrasted elements: The Epicurean philosophers sought mental, not bodily, pleasures.

The comma To set off nouns of direct address, the words yes and no, interrogative tags, and mild interjections. Forgive me, Angela, for forgetting the date. Yes, the loan will be approved. The film was faithful to the book, wasn’t it? Well, cases like this are difficult to decide.

The Comma To set off direct quotations with expressions such as she said. “Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance,” says Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice.

The comma With dates, addresses, and titles On November 18, 2007, my daughter was born. I lived at 322 Market Street, Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.

Misuses of the comma Marie Curie discovered radium, and later applied her work on radioactivity to medicine. *Does not have two subjects Zoos large enough to give the animals freedom to roam, are becoming more popular. *don’t separate the subject from the verb

Misuses of the comma We found an old, maroon hatbox. *When you say “and” does it sound right? Occasionally TV talk shows are performed live, but, more often they are taped. Plants such as, begonias and impatiens add color to a shady garden.

Misuses of the comma Samuel Goldwyn once said, that a verb contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. “Why don’t you try it?,” she coaxed.

Missing words and Repeating words Read out loud when things don’t sound right. You may have a missing word. Circle common words: pronouns and nouns that are the main topic. Change up the repeating words.