1. WaG 10 – Commas When and where should you place a comma?

2. Please look carefully at the following samples to determine what you notice about commas. What writing or grammar rules can you identify?  Tommy and I went to the store, and then we went to the movies.  She read Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Divergent last year.  The cat likes to climb trees and curtains.

3. Commas  Use a comma + conjunction to connect two COMPLETE sentences that are separate but related thoughts (clauses).  Annie drove to work. +  Annie was late. =  Annie drove to work, but she was late.  Use a comma to separate different items in a list (3 or more).  I like drinking coffee, tea, and water.  Jennifer won the 100 meter dash, the 400 relay, and the hurdles.  Danny’s favorite flavors are chocolate and vanilla.

4. The “Oxford” Comma  The “Oxford Comma” is the last comma before the word “and” in a list.  It is required to make sure the sentence is clear.  I’d like to thank my parents, God and Einstein.  I’d like to thank my parents, God, and Einstein.  Good example:  I made eggs, bacon, and toast.  Bad example:  I also served juice, milk and coffee.

5. Write these samples, then use the comma rules to write TWO more sentences of your own. ① Tonya ran to the lake, and then she went for a swim. ② James was wearing a blue hat, shirt, and pants. ③ The story had knights, dragons, and wizards. ④ [Write your own sentence] ⑤ [Write your own sentence]

6. WaG Quiz #10 – Wednesday, 12/10 & Thursday, 12/11  Review the rules of commas!  If you earn a B or better, you’ve proven that you do not need homework to review it.  If you earn a C or lower, you will need to do some reteach homework for more practice.