1. Conquering the Comma!

2. What Is a Comma? A comma is a punctuation mark that indicates a pause is needed in a sentence. Commas help to clarify meaning for the reader. Commas can make the sentence easier to understand.

3. COMMA RULE #1 ITEMS IN A SERIES Use commas to separate three or more items in a series. Example: 1. Cars, buses, and trucks clog city streets. (words) 2. Beside the fence, on the porch, or outside the back door is a good place for that potted plant. (phrases) 3. Call me before you leave town, while you’re staying in Florida, and after you return home. (clauses)

4. COMMA RULE #1, CONT. ITEMS IN A SERIES Place commas in a sentence to divide items in a list. The commas will help the reader to avoid confusion.

5. COMMA RULE #1, CONT. ITEMS IN A SERIES Commas should be placed in series of words, phrases, or clauses. Place commas in the following sentences: Martina brushed her hair put on her pajamas and went to bed. She fell asleep and dreamed that she was a princess she kissed a frog and she rescued her prince. Martina brushed her hair, put on her pajamas, and went to bed. She fell asleep and dreamed that she was a princess, she kissed a frog, and she rescued her prince.

6. COMMA RULE #2 Introductory Words and Phrases Use a comma to show a pause after an introductory word or phrase. 1. Yes, we enjoyed your performance in the play. 2. No, you didn’t sing off key. 3. Oh, it was so hot in the auditorium!

7. COMMA RULE #2, CONT. Introductory Words and Phrases Without the comma, the sentence may be interpreted incorrectly. For example: ◦ “Go, get him doctors!” Ms. Feltes yelled. ◦ “Go get him, doctors!” Ms. Feltes yelled. MATCH: “The patient is hurt!” “The patient is running away!”

8. COMMA RULE #3, CONT. Prepositional Phrases at the beginning of a sentence. What is a preposition? o A word that relates a noun or a pronoun to some other word in the sentence. o Examplesabove, under, into, behind, around, inside, over, ahead, below, across, beside, out, in, through, What is a prepositional phrase? A group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Examplesthrough the house, into the barn, under the couch, over the hedge, in the cave, inside the toilet, behind the television

9. COMMA RULE #3, CONT. Prepositional Phrases at the beginning of a sentence. Put one comma after the two prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence. Decide which is correct. A. In the house, under the couch I found my phone. B. In the house under the couch, I found my phone. C. In the house, under the couch, I found my phone. D. In the house under the couch I found my phone.

10. Also, use a comma to set off a single long prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence.  For example: ◦ Beneath a dozen fluttering red and blue banners, he made his campaign speech. You need not set off a single short prepositional phrase, but it’s not wrong to do so. ◦ For example: ◦ In 1998 Frank Jordan ran for mayor. ◦ In 1998, Frank Jordan ran for mayor. COMMA RULE #3, CONT. Prepositional Phrases at the beginning of a sentence.

11. COMMA RULE #4 Interrupters, a.k.a. Appositives Use commas to set off words that interrupt the flow of thought in a sentence. Use commas to set off appositives in a sentence.

12. Sentence Structure: Appositives An appositive is a noun or phrase that identifies the person or thing it follows. Use commas to set off MOST appositives. Do not use commas to set off a short appositive, such as one name. This is my friend Kara. (Introducing Kara) This is my friend, Kara. (Talking to Kara) COMMA RULE #4, CONT. Interrupters, a.k.a. Appositives

13. My brother, the biggest nerd I know, plans to throw a party! Juanita, who is only five feet tall, is a fine gymnast. My brother Carl, whom I think you know, is sixteen today. He must, of course, pay his fine. He will, however, serve his time. We have, therefore, been vindicated. The game, as you remember, was a tie. A new method of scoring, we decided, was necessary. S appositive V

14. COMMA RULE #5 Names in Direct Address Use commas to set off nouns in direct address. A noun in direct address is the name or title of a person being spoken to. Example: Mrs. Barnhart, I love learning grammar! I want to learn more about commas, Tracy, so I can be the best writer!

15. COMMA RULE #5, CONT. Names in Direct Address Direct addresses may come at the beginning, the middle, or the end of a sentence. Madam, your package has arrived. We are ready, Ms. Wright, to deliver it. Do you want us to attack, Coronel?

16. COMMA RULE #5, CONT. Names in Direct Address Where do the commas go in the following sentences? Claire have you ever traveled on a ship? I have traveled to Alaska Mr. Hess on a cruise ship. Are you ready to eat Bryan?

17. COMMA RULE #6 Compound Sentences Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence. A compound sentence is a sentence that combines two simple sentences with a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Steve opened the door, and the dog ran out.

18. COMMA RULE #6, CONT. Compound Sentences Coordinating Conjunctions For And Nor But Or Yet So Hey! That spells FANBOYS!!!

19. Sentence Structure: Compound Sentence A sentence that contains two simple sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction is called a compound sentence. A coordinating conjunction joins words, phrases, and clauses together in a sentence. Conjunctions ◦ for ◦ and ◦ nor ◦ but ◦ or ◦ yet ◦ so FAN BOYS

20. COMMA RULE #6, CONT. Compound Sentences A common mistake: This morning Maria planted vegetables and, this afternoon she planted fruit trees. This morning Maria planted vegetables, and this afternoon she planted fruit trees.

21. COMMA RULE #6, CONT. Compound Sentences Add commas where needed in the following sentences: 1. Julia read the book but Alex saw the movie. 2. The baby whined and cried so his mother comforted him. 3. My coach helps me during the week and my mother works with me over the weekend. 4. I thought the test was easy yet I still did poorly.

22. Sentence Structure: Compound Sentence The comma in a compound sentence is placed before the conjunction. Andy built a snowman, and Jeff played with his dog. S V conj. Andy built a snowman, and Jeff played with his dog. S V

23. A Common Comma Error: The Comma Splice A comma splice is an error in which two sentences are joined by a comma. No conjunction is written!!! We had a nice time, I hope we can meet again soon. S V The Internet has revolutionized the business world, S V online sales have increased dramatically this year. S V

24. To Correct a Comma Splice 1. Insert a conjunction between the two sentences. 2. -Or- start a new sentence. 3. -Or- insert a semi-colon between the two sentences. We had a nice time, and I hope we can meet again soon. We had a nice time. I hope we can meet again soon. We had a nice time; I hope we can meet again soon.

25. COMMA RULE #7 In Letters Use a comma after the salutation (greeting) of a friendly letter and after the closing of a friendly and a business letter Dear Ben, Your friend, Sincerely, Bethany Natalia Gomez

26. COMMA RULE #7, CONT. In Letters A common mistake: Dear, MorganYour, friend Dear Morgan,Your friend,

27. COMMA RULE #8 To Prevent Misreading Use a comma to prevent misreading. Instead of two five teachers made the trip. Instead of two, five teachers made the trip. In the field below the brook gurgled merrily. In the field below, the brook gurgled merrily.

28. COMMA RULE #9 In Dates Use a comma before and after the year when it is used with both the month and the day. The ship struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and sank early the next morning. Do not use a comma if only the month and the year or the month and the day are given. The ship sank in April 1912 on its first voyage. The ship sailed on April 14 in the morning.

29. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Where do the commas belong in the following examples? 1.The Declaration of Independence was actually signed by the delegates in August 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 2.Ryan reminded his cousins, “My eleventh birthday party will be April 11 2002 at the skating rink.” 3.Ona left Charleston, South Carolina, when she was ten, and she did not return until October 18 2002 in the evening.

30. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Writers, even adults, usually forget to put the comma after the date in a sentence. Think about how you can remember to put the comma after the date if the sentence continues. Ms. Feltes changed the world when she was born on October 3, 1972, at 2:29 pm.

31. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Why do you think there are no commas if just the month and year are written? My brother David was born September 1975 in the middle of the night. What about if just the month and day are written? Why isn’t there a comma here? My sister Lauren was born July 26 after our family summer picnic.

32. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Dates actually can have four parts to them… 1. The day of the week. 2. The month. 3. The number of the day on the calendar. 4. The year On Friday, March 9, 2012 A.D., there will be a giant test over comma rules.

33. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Purdue University Writing Lab Another thought: There is no comma between the year and B.C. or the year and A.D. On Friday, March 9, 2012 A.D., there will be a giant test over comma rules.

34. COMMA RULE #9, CONT. In Dates Consider the differences in the following: On Friday, March 9, 2012 A.D., there will be a giant test over comma rules. There will be a giant test over comma rules on Friday, March 9, 2012 A.D. There will be a giant test over comma rules on a Friday on March 9, 2012 A.D. There will be a giant test over comma rules on a Friday in March 2012 A.D.

35. COMMA RULE #10 In Addresses, Cities, States, and Countries Use commas before and after the name of a state or country when it is used with the name of a city. In Las Vegas, Nevada, we… DO NOT use a comma after the state if the state name is followed by a zip code. Las Vegas, Nevada 89052

36. COMMA RULE #10, CONT. In Addresses, Cities, States, and Countries The ship was sailing from Southampton, England, to New York City. You can write to Leeza at 15 College Court, Stanford, CA 94305. The cattle were herded along the Chisholm Trail from San Antonio, Texas, to Abilene, Kansas.

37. COMMA RULE #11 Abbreviated Titles Use a comma or a pair of commas to set off an abbreviated title (except Jr. and Sr.) or a degree following a person’s name. Dr. Mitchell Bowers, DVM, wrote…

38. COMMA RULE #11, CONT. Abbreviated Titles Michelle Nakumura, Ph.D., will be the graduation speaker. Latisha Davis, M.D., is our family physician.

39. COMMA RULE #12 When too means “also” Use a comma or a pair of commas to set off too when too means “also”. I want to shop at Macy's, too. I, too, want to shop at Macy's. I want to shop, too, while we're out. Do not use commas with too when to means “excess”. The prices at Macy’s were too high. I was too tired to shop at Macy’s

40. Commas in Quotations  Follow your rules for dialogue punctuation.  If the He said comes first, place the comma after said. He said, “I know Kung Fu.”  If the he said comes after the quote, place the comma inside the quotation marks after the last word in the quotation. “I’ll dance with you,” he said.

41. Commas in Quotations If the he said comes in the middle of the quote, place the comma inside the quotation marks after the last word in the first part of the quote and after the he said. “Put the box,” he said, “in the house.”

42. COMMA RULE #14 Commas with adjectives Use commas to separate adjectives that provide an equal description of a noun. THE TEST: Can you put “and” between the adjectives? Can they be described in reverse order? If so, use a comma. big blue house three hungry kittens a cranky, ungrateful man