Commas,

Compound sentences Use a comma before the conjunction to separate the two independent clauses that make up the compound sentence. Examples: My mom will pack my lunch, and my dad will take me to school. The dog will chase the cat, and the cat will claw the dog.

More than two items in a list The list may be nouns or verbs, but if there are more than two items, separate each item with a comma. Examples: On our summer vacation, we swam, biked, and hiked. At the store, we bought milk, eggs, and cheese.

Separate the appositive An appositive gives information about something in the sentence and can be removed from the sentence. Separate it with a comma. Examples: I am your teacher, Mrs. Gerben. My horse, Angel, is really an angel!

Dialogue Commas separate the quotation from the attribution when a question mark or exclamation point are not appropriate. Examples: “Two wrongs don’t make a right,” she said pompously. She whined, “Why do I have to do the dishes?”

Separate adjectives When the adjective is not part of the noun’s nomenclature (like jet plane), separate the adjectives describing the same noun with commas. Examples: The big, lazy horse trotted through the field. The hysterical, happy puppy licked its owner’s face.

Introductory phrases (including Interjections) When a phrase begins a sentence, separate it from the rest of the sentence with a comma. Examples: Finally, it was Christmas break. Wow, it took a long time to get through that line.

Parenthetical expressions A parenthetical expression contains relevant, yet not vital information. Separate with commas. Examples He frequently missed class; consequently, he had a low grade. After running the marathon, he, of course, was tired.

Direct address When a person is addressed directly in a sentence, separate the name from the sentence with a comma. Examples “Listen here, young lady.” “Elizabeth Frankalena Roethlisberger, you better clean your room!”

Dependent clauses With dependent clauses, use commas only when the clause is at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. Example: Although she was hungry, liver and onions did not appeal to her.

Dates, Locations Between the day and year: November 11, 2013 Between the city and state: Fort Huachcua, AZ

, too Use a comma when “too” means also: Examples We went to the store and the movies, too. We took the cat – and the dogs, too – to the vet.

Letters When writing a letter, use commas after the greeting and closing: Dear Friend, Sincerely,

Summary: Use commas Compound sentences More than two items in a list Separate appositives Dialogue Introductory phrases Interjections When “too” means “also” Letters Dates Locations Dependent clauses Separate adjectives Parenthetical expressions Direct address