The Comma Part II: Writing Samples Direct Address Separate Adjectives Interruptions Appositives Explanatory Phrases Dialogue The Comma Part II: Writing Samples

Direct Address Lenny, I’ve been expecting you since Friday. We have been expecting you, Lenny. Of course, Lenny, we have been expecting you. Rule Use commas to separate a noun of direct address (the person being spoken to) from the rest of the sentence.

Direct Address Peter, we have seen your work. It is excellent. We have all been away on vacation, Robert, since Monday. It is time to go to work, Peter.

Separate Adjectives The huge, furry dog chased him over the fence and into the pool. Rule Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally modify a noun. EXAMPLE: There are plenty of nutritious, edible plants in the world. (nutritious and edible are separated by a comma because they modify plants equally. NO COMMA NEEDED EXAMPLE: We may eat many unusual plants in the years to come. TESTS:Use one of these tests to see if the adjectives modify equally: 1.Switch the order of the adjectives. If the sentence is still clear, the adjectives modify equally. 2.Put the word and between the adjectives. If the sentence is clear, the adjectives modify equally.

Separate Adjectives The colorful, feathery parrot perched himself on my shoulder. The cute, adorable parakeet chirped and sang all afternoon. The stylish, ornate birdcage needed to be cleaned. Many of the rare, exotic birds were kept in special cages.

Interruptions Aunt Roselyn, of course, would not wear the parrot costume. George, therefore, had to leave the drugstore in a hurry. Rule Use commas to set off a word, phrase, or clause that interrupts the main part of a sentence. Words or phrases that you can use to interrupt main thoughts: for exampleto be suremoreover howeveras a matter of factin fact of coursethereforespecifically Tests 1. Take out the word or phrase. The meaning of the sentence should not change. 2. Move the word or phrase to another part of the sentence. The meaning should not change.

Interruptions She will, however, be the best possible choice for the position. Your brother, for example, might want to get trained in a new field. I am, as a matter of fact, enrolling in a new course this semester. The university, in fact, is offering courses for kids your age.

Appositives Jen, the craziest kid in our class, scored the most points. Rule Use a comma to set off appositives. An appositive is a word or phrase that is another way of saying the noun or pronoun before it. Mr. O’Neil, our history teacher, says that it is important to understand the U.S. Constitution.

Appositives The book, A Study of Inuit Art, was impressive on the coffee table. Jim, the mechanic, is the real expert on a car’s performance. Mr. Imbriano, our math teacher, took us on three field trips this year. Apples, an incredible source of fiber, are cheap and easy to find.

Explanatory Phrases Timothy, who lives in New York, has his own ice cream company. Rule Use a comma to set off an explanatory phrase from the rest of the sentence. (Explanatory means helping to explain.) Ex: Sebastian, back from his visit to Florida, told us all about the trip.

Explanatory Phrases This new car, according to the latest government reports, rates high on stability. Joe Hill, who sits next to me in class, is a good writer. Mark Griffin, who lives in New York City, specializes in writing. The author, who likes to vacation in Miami, visits our school each year.

Dialogue Beginning Sentence “Today must be Tuesday,” she muttered. Rule Use a comma to set off the words of the speaker from the rest of the sentence. If you are telling what someone said or thought but are not using the person’s exact words, do not use commas or quotation marks. Jim told me long ago that he would move to California.

Dialogue at the Beginning of a Sentence “The math test is tomorrow,” Mr. Dietrich announced to the class. “What will be on the test?” asked Brent. “I must study!” screamed Amy from the back of the room.

Dialogue Ending a Sentence Then he asked, “How did you get here without a balloon?” Rule Use a comma to set off the words of the speaker from the rest of the sentence. If you are telling what someone said or thought but are not using the person’s exact words, do not use commas or quotation marks. Jim told me long ago that he would move to California.

Dialogue at the End of a Sentence Francesca whispered to me, “Do you want to study tonight?” I replied, “Yes, we should study from six to eight.” Francesca shouted suddenly, “Wow! I can’t believe we have to study that long!”

Vary Your Sentence Structure: pages Commas: pages Understanding Sentences: pages