1. Comma Coma Continued…

2. Use a comma before and/or after an interjection Wow, what a beautiful dress. Hey, that’s my lunch! My goodness, you’ve grown so much. I told Ryan that, yes, I would go with him to the movies.

3. Use commas between consecutive adjectives describing the same noun. It was a dark, cold, dreary night. I bought some expensive, stylish white tennis shoes. USE A COMMA WHEREVER THE WORD AND WOULD SOUND RIGHT. I bought some expensive and stylish white tennis shoes. I bought some expensive, stylish and white tennis shoes. I bought some expensive, stylish white and tennis shoes.

4. Don’t put a comma before the noun! I ate a beautiful, ripe, delicious apple. NOT I ate a beautiful, ripe, delicious, apple.

5. Comma Coma Continued…

6. Use commas before and/or after some Latin abbreviations I love sports, e.g., baseball, basketball, and football. A vet works with many types of animals – dogs, cats, horse, cows, etc.

7. Use commas before and after parenthetical expressions Parenthetical expressions are by-the-way phrases that are inserted into a sentence giving information or thoughts that are not absolutely essential. – I reminded Mom, in case she’d forgotten, that I really want an iPad for my birthday. – They usually cost, if you get a good deal, about $400.

8. Use commas after greetings and before closings in friendly letters Openings Dear Kareem, Dear Mom, Dear Fred, Closings: Love, Sincerely, Regards,

9. Use commas with titles when they come after (but not before) the person’s name – Here: Arith Metic, Ph.D., is my math teacher. – NOT Here: Dr. Metic is my math teacher. – Here: Jacques Roche, D.V.M., is a famous cockroach veterinarian. – NOT Here: Dr. Roche is a famous cockroach veterinarian.

10. Comma Coma Continued…

11. Use commas to how that two parts of the sentence are being contrasted I ordered pizza, not lasagna. I’m going out with Kevin, not Sam. I am going to pass this class, not fail.

12. Use commas before and after appositives An appositive explains who or what a noun is. Our principal, John Bossman, gave a great speech. – John Bossman is the appositive, and principal is the subject. Katie Stevens, the best ballerina in the performance, was the star of the evening. – The best ballerina…is the appositive.

13. Use commas to indicate omitted words I ordered chicken; Amanda, fish. – This means “I ordered chicken; Amanda ordered fish.” Tonight I will study math; tomorrow, Spanish. – This means “Tonight I will study math; tomorrow I will study Spanish.”