Commas with Degrees and Titles Mini-Lesson #36 UWF Writing Laboratory 51/

THE RULE: A comma separates initials, degrees, or titles from a name and from the rest of the sentence. For example, a pair of commas is used in the following sentences because the titles are parenthetical: Robert Yeager, Professor of English, is chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages. Charles, Prince of Wales, has remarried.

Exceptions to the Rule If the title or degree precedes the name, no comma is needed. Professor Yeager is chair of the English and Foreign Languages Department. No comma is needed between a name and birth or royal ranks sch as I, II, and so on. Queen Elizabeth II Deal Prince Watkins III

Usage is divided on how to separate Jr. from the name and the sentence. Jr. may be seen as a restrictive title: Hank Williams Jr. had tears in his beer. Or only one comma is needed to separate Jr. from the proper name: Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Or Jr. can be seen as parenthetical: Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in 1968.

Let’s Practice! Carol Surles Ph.D. and Loretta Anderson J.D. are my former classmates and “city mates.” Carol Surles, Ph.D., and Loretta Anderson, J.D., are my former classmates and “city mates.” Lou Gossett, II is also an actor like his father. Lou Gossett II is also an actor like his father.