Basic Comma Rules

1. Use commas to separate three or more words or phrases

in a series.
Examples:
The colors of the fag are red, white, and blue.
I scraped, sanded, and varnished the old chair.
They had money, peace of mind, and even good grammar.
2. Use commas to indicate that a person is being addressed
by name.
Examples
Fred, did you take the pizza?
id you take the pizza, Fred?
3. Use commas after phrases, clauses, or small words that
introduce the main idea of your sentence.
Included in this group are transition words and phrases such as
!however," !nevertheless," !on the other hand," etc.
#$amples%
&o, Fred did not take the pizza.
'ecause (athy went to the )riting *ab often, she learned a
lot.
+fter the movie, we all went home.
,onse-uently, (athy was glad that she went to the )riting
*ab.
.. Use commas to set of words, phrases or clauses that
comment on or gie additional information about the
main part of the sentence, or otherwise interrupt the
natural !ow of the sentence
Interrupters are also called appositives or non/restrictive elements.
Examples:
,hicago, the windy city, is my home town.
0oe, after visiting the 1miths, became a vegetarian.
2riscilla, in the meantime, went skiing.
#veryone did not, as a result, go windsur3ng.
". Use commas before coordinating con#unctions $%&'B()*+
such as ,for-, ,and,- ,nor-, ,but-, ,or-, ,yet-, and ,so-
that #oin two complete sentences, or when the comma is
needed for clarity, emphasis, or contrast.
If there is &4T a complete sentence on both sides of the
con5unction, do &4T use a comma.
Examples
,hicago may be windy, but it6s home.
0oe went to the )riting *ab several times, and he6s working
very hard.
I like working outside and going swimming.
The pretzels are good but salty.
1. Use a comma before non.essential, modifying elements
that follow the words and main clause and proide
information that supplements or comments clauses on
the basic meaning of the main clause.
#$amples%
I live in &ew 7e$ico, the !land of enchantment."
7any college students struggle to pay tuition costs, which
are steadily increasing.
2. Use a comma between coordinate ad#ecties not #oined
by ,and.- Coordinate ad#ecties each modify the noun
independently.
#$ample%
0ill has beautiful, long hair.
The hiker traveled along the steep, narrow trail.
In the above sentence, both !steep" and !narrow" modify !trail."
Thus they are coordinate ad5ectives. o not use a comma between
ad5ectives that are not coordinate/ / that do not both modify the
same noun.
#$ample%
The team members all wore lime green 5ackets.
In the above sentence, !lime" modi3es !green," not !5ackets."
3. Use a comma when noting items in a date and addresses
or professional titles
#$ample%
It was on +pril 89, 8:9; that 7artin *uther (ing wrote his
famous letter.
<eggie/matics can be ordered from ,heapstu= Inc., 8>>>>
First +venue &.#., &ew
?ork, &ew ?ork 8>>@>.
1tephen Alen, 2h, will be the main speaker at the ban-uet.
/. 0uotes
Insert a comma before the direct -uotes.
7ike said, !*et6s go to the game."
". & direct 1uotation is set of from the rest of the sentence
by a comma.
!That6s where I live, !7ike said.
2. 3articipial phrases
#$amples%
1peaking at the meeting today, the women opposed the merger.
1tretching, the cat slowly opened her eyes.
Terri3ed, the mouse ran behind the cupboard.
Aerunds as ob5ects of prepositions
#$ample%
Bpon entering the room, the police heard a gunshot.
4. 5hree 6inds of run.ons
1. Comma splice7using a comma instead of a semicolon
or period to end the sentence
#$C 7ary and 1am went to a picnic yesterday, they had a
wonderful time.
%i8 it by adding a #oining word, such as ,and-, or brea6 it
into two separate sentences.
2. 'o punctuation between two complete sentences.
#$C They brought a large amount of food with them nothing was
left over.
%i8 it by putting a period, semicolon, or #oining word
$such as yet+ between the two complete sentences.
3. 'o comma before a #oining word
#$C They were looking for a shady spot but never found one.
%i8 it by adding a comma before but.
Bse commas before and after words and phrases like however
and never the less that serve as interrupters.
#$ample%
+dam did not like math. De was, however, very successful in his
math classes.
Comma 3ractice
2lease insert the commaEsC where necessary. +ll of the sentences need
corrections.
8. 'efore using a comma review the comma rules.
F. If you don6t feel well you should probably go home.
;. I would like to skip the test in 7rs. Aerardy6s class and I would
love to not go to 7r. 7cIntyre6s class at all.
.. 0an said !)hat time does the game start?"
G. 7rs. 7cIntyre6s birthday is on )ednesday +ugust FG.
9. 1teven 7ichael 0ared and 1ally all made the soccer team this
year.
@. )ell it is nice to see you have 3nally 3nished lunch.
H. )hen I do my homework I like to listen to music.
:. 7rs. 7cIntyre loves her 9
th
hour and she wants to buy them pizza
and donuts.
8>. In the last sentence 7rs. 7cIntyre was totally kidding.
88. Dey do you think we could stop doing grammar and 5ust take a
nap?
8F. Today is Friday &ovember : F>8F.
8;. 1teve are you going to go to the store and buy me some ice
cream?
8.. )ow that sure is a nice gift you bought 7rs. 7cIntyreI
8G. The school is located in ?ale 7ichigan.
89. 7rs. 7cIntyre my #nglish teacher should win an award for her
awesome comma
worksheet.
8@. )hen we 3nish our homework let6s go buy 7rs. 7cIntyre a
present.
8H. I like running tennis and swimming.
8:. ?ale Digh 1chool home of the bulldogs is where I attend school.
F>. 7rs. 7cIntyre lives in 7elvin 7ichigan