Basic Comma Rules

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Basic Comma Rules
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Commas

• Use the comma to set off elements in a series
  (three or more things).
• She likes running, dancing, and jumping.

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Commas

• Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction
  (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to separate two
  independent clauses.
• The monsoon hit the islands early this year, but
  few of the villages were ever in any danger.

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Commas

• Use a comma to set off introductory words,
  phrases, or clauses.
• Anxious to play in a new division, Timberlands
  coach hoped to win against more formidable
  opponents this year.
• After winning the lottery, Mr. Perez bought
  himself a house in Costa Rica.

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Commas

• Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
• Coaches ran practice on the damp, dreary soccer
  field.
• He reads only expensive, modern novels.
• (if you can put and between the adjectives, you
  should put a comma between them.)

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Commas

• Use a comma to set off states and countries,
  years (in a full date), titles, etc.)
• The conference was originally set for Geneva,
  Switzerland, but was then rescheduled for
  Chicago, Illinois.
• Their wedding date was set for August 5, 2000, in
  the college chapel in Newton, Massachusetts.

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Commas

• Use a comma to set off quoted language.
• Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet begins with
  the lines, Two households, both alike in
  dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene.
• Fire when ready, Horatio, the Admiral said.

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Commas

• Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
  This is a very difficult to rule to understand in
  comma usage. A parenthetical element is simply
  added information, something that can be
  removed from a sentence without changing the true
  meaning of that sentence. Deciding what is added
  information and what is essential is sometimes
  difficult.

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Commas

• When an appositive phrase can be removed from a
  sentence without changing its meaning or making
  it ambiguous
• Mr. Boesch, perhaps Americas most beloved
  teacher, died of sorrow because his students
  didnt understand comma rules.
• An absolute phrase is treated as a parenthetical
  element
• Honestly, it doesnt seem to matter to me what
  you do.
• An addressed persons (or peoples) name is
  always parenthetical
• I am warning you, Daniel Benitez, this vote is
  crucial to the future of our city.