1. Commas

2. Series Use commas to separate items in a series Words Phrases Clauses
You can use commas to separate words, phrases, or clauses in a series.
Phrases
We went over the river, though the woods, and around the bend to get to grandma’s house.
Clauses
I can’t wait until my neighbor moves, I go deaf, or his dog loses the ability to bark!

3. Series
Rules:
If each item is joined by and, or, or nor, do not use commas to separate them.
I tried yoga and ice dancing and rhythmic gymnastics on Monday.
Commas go within a series, not before or after them.
On Tuesday, I discovered that I wasn’t flexible, patient, or graceful.
Use a comma to separate adjectives describing the same noun.
Monday was a very challenging, depressing day!
VERY short independent clauses can be separated with a comma.
On Tuesday I reflected on my decision and came up with the following motto: I tried, I failed, I cried.

4. Independent Clauses
Use a comma and a conjunction to join independent clauses (This will give you a compound sentence!)
Mrs. Krabill never gives her classes homework, but Mrs. Swope gives homework regularly.
Having no homework is clearly cooler than having homework, so Mrs. Krabill is clearly cooler than Mrs. Swope.
Do not confuse these with simple sentences that have compound subjects or predicates!
Mrs. Krabill started out giving homework but decided later that homework was lame.

5. Practice Makes Perfect
Page 702, ex 3
Page , ex 4

6. Non-Essentials Use commas to set off non-essential clauses and phrases
Non-essential = doesn’t change the meaning
Mrs. Krabill, who was feeling excited and full of life, decided to compete in a triathlon.
The triathlon, the most difficult of all competitions, is considered a right of passage by most hard-core athletes.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Krabill forgot she was a terrible biker and nearly died during the biking leg, the second portion, of the race.
If a clause or phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence, it does NOT get bracketed by commas.
The triathlete who is fastest will win first prize.

7. Practice Makes Perfect
Page 706, Ex 5

8. Introductory Elements
Occur at the beginning of a sentence.
Set off a mild exclamation
Well, I certainly wouldn’t have guessed Mrs. Compo was taking clogging classes!
Participle or participial phrase
Shocked, the students all realized it was true!
Long or multiple prepositional phrases
On the way home along the side of the road, we saw Mrs. Compo practicing and teaching several of her students the steps.
Adverb clause
When she saw us watching her, Mrs. Compo started towards us to encourage us to try clogging as well.

9. Practice Makes Perfect
Page 709, ex 6
Let’s review what we know: page 710, Review B

10. Interrupters
Appositives and appositive phrases, words or phrases that rename the noun preceding it, are bracketed by commas.
Emily, my conservative sister, surprised us all when she got a tattoo!
Is that book, How to Remember Names Better, Mrs. Compo’s?
A direct address is bracketed by commas.
Well, Mrs. Swope, I would have gotten my homework done, but Mrs. Krabill needed me to teach her how to bike.
Mary, please stop making excuses; everyone knows Mrs. Krabill can’t bike.

11. More Interrupters
Parenthetical expressions are bracketed by commas (side remarks—look like transitions).
I hope the rain holds off for the game (notice no comma!)
The rain should hold off for the game, I hope!
Incidentally, it did not, and the fans and players got soaked.
It started hailing, moreover, and I have bruises from the golf-ball sized ice pellets.
Examples pg 713
After all
At any rate
By the way
Consequently
For example
However
In general
Meanwhile
Incidentally
Naturally
Of course
On the contrary
In fact
Nevertheless
therefore

12. Practice Makes Perfect!
Page 712, Exercise 7 - odds only

13. Conventional Usage Dates and addresses Letter salutations and closings
Mrs. Krabill moved from her old house at Canterbury Dr., Richmond, MI 48062, five years ago.
Mrs. Krabill got married on June 20, 2009.
On 20 June 2009, Mrs. Krabill got married.
Did Mrs. Krabill get married in June 2009?
Letter salutations and closings
Dear Dad,
I cannot wait for Thanksgiving dinner.
Sincerely, Erin
Titles following a name
P. Sherman, Jr., was born yesterday.
My brother-in-law, Chris Howell, M.D., tells the most entertaining jokes!
Do not use unnecessary commas!

14. Practice Makes Perfect
Page 716, Exercise 8 – odds only
Page , Review D – all of them
Write out the sentences