COMMAS!

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COMMAS!

• Dun, Dun, DUUNNNNNNN!

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Comma Rules

• Around
• Nonessential clauses
• and Interrupters
• After
• Introductory words and
• phrases
• Quotation marks

• Before
• Coordinating
• conjunctions that
• combine two complete
• sentences
• Separate
• Items in a series

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Commas Come Before

• Coordinating Conjunctions that separate two
  complete sentences

For And Nor But Or Yet So

• The war lasted for several years, but not many
  people supported it.
• She studied very hard, yet she failed her exam.
• The politician campaigned enthusiastically but
  never gathered much money.

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Commas with ConjunctionsMark each sentence as C
or I. Correct Incorrect sentences.

1. Lucy hit her brother but he said it didnt hurt.
2. John took Vitamin C, and a multivitamin every
   day.
3. We wanted to leave, yet something held us there.
4. We didnt know what to do so we sat down to wait.
5. The cave made me uncomfortable, for it was cold
   and damp.
6. I had pancakes for breakfast and drank milk with
   them.
7. My mom bought a new car but didnt drive it home.
8. The nuclear explosion caused sewage systems to
   overflow, and disease to spread.
9. The banana was starting to brown yet it was still
   very tasty.
10. Jerry was told he could either go to the mall or
    the basketball game.

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Commas Separate

• Items in a series (3 or more)
• I went to the store for bread, milk, and eggs.
• Michelle was kicked off the team because she
  failed a class, was disrespectful to her teacher,
  and skipped practice.
• John is allergic to dairy products and chocolate.

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Commas that SeparateWrite each sentence and put
commas where they are needed.

1. The elderly man clutched his heart swooned and
   fell to the floor when he had a heart attack.
2. My dog gets scared whenever thunder booms
   strangers knock at the door or I try to give him
   a bath.
3. I spent the afternoon shopping for groceries and
   playing tennis.
4. Fresh bread roasted chicken and three bottles of
   sparkling wine were packed in the picnic basket.

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Commas Go Around

• Nonessential Elements and Interrupters
• NONESSENTIAL
• The man forgot, however, where he had placed his
  keys.
• Mary Roberts, calling out Joes name, ran down
  the street.
• Our neighbor, who is the foreman at the plant, is
  on vacation.
• ESSENTIAL
• Each student who is going on the field trip must
  turn in a permission slip.
• The woman who is running the cash register just
  went on break.

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• Essential
• The book that Chubb was eating is overdue at the
  library.
• This sentence is about a particular book -- the
  one Chubb was eating.
• We watched the award-winning movie "The
  Departed."
• Lots of movies win awards. It is "essential" to
  know which one.
• Lorraine drove her daughter Margie to school and
  her daughter Suzie to work.
• Lorraine has more than one daughter. The names
  are "essential."
• Jarrett's neighbor Lisa watched from the hedge.
• Jarrett has neighbors on both sides. It is
  "essential" to know which one watched.

• Nonessential
• The book, which Chubb chewed all night, was due
  at the library yesterday.
• This sentence is about the fact that the book is
  due. The fact that Chubb chewed it all night is
  extra detail it is nonessential.
• Jarrett's bulldog, Chubb, likes books.
• Assume Jarrett has only one bulldog the name
  "Chubb" is nonessential.
• The speaker was the winner of the 2007 Academy
  Award for leading actor, Forest Whittaker.
• There was only one such winner in 2007. Thus, the
  name is "nonessential."
• Lisa's cat, Mordred, watched from the shadows.
• Assume that Lisa has only one cat. This makes the
  cat's name "nonessential" to the meaning of the
  sentence.
• Lorraine and her husband, Charlie, worked in the
  garden.
• Lorraine only has one husband therefore, his
  name is nonessential.

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Practice

• The woman who interviewed you is my sister.
• The average world temperature however has
  continued to rise significantly.
• Company managers seeking higher profits hired
  temporary workers to replace full-time staff.
• The person checking tickets at the counter asked
  for a form of identification.
• My uncle Joe who is eighty years old walks three
  miles every day.
• The sixth-century philosopher Boethius was
  arrested tortured and bludgeoned to death.

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Commas that Go AroundMark each sentence as C or
I. Correct Incorrect sentences.

1. Sally, whom you met at last night's dance, wants
   to know if you found her purse.
2. The game as you remember was a tie.
3. The French artist Jaques Laurent appeared at a
   speaking engagement in New York.
4. Mr. Duffy named as college counselor in 1985 has
   been promoted to Duke of Students.
5. Our son who won last year's prize was
   disqualified from the competition.
6. Fred, green with envy, refused to acknowledge
   Harvey's mastery of the game of Yahtze.
7. Jim, sheriff of Monroe County, wanted to question
   the witness.
8. The boy, who broke my car window, brought flowers
   to my house.
9. The parole violator must of course pay his fine.
10. The dog that dug up my garden was returned to its
    owner.

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Commas Go After

• Introductory Words and Phrases
• As a matter of fact, he did graduate high school.
• However, Brad didnt go to the movies.
• Brad didnt go to the movies however.
• To pass the Economics test, you must study very
  hard.
• To pass the Economics test without studying is
  unheard of.

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Commas that Go AfterMark each sentence as C or
I. Correct Incorrect sentences.

1. To stay in shape for competition athletes must
   exercise every day.
2. Meanwhile the athletes trained on the Nautilus
   equipment.
3. Still, the credibility of some witnesses was in
   question.
4. Extracting the most profit for the least
   expenditure on labor and materials, is the
   primary goal of a capitalist.
5. The wind blowing violently, the townspeople began
   to seek shelter.
6. After the adjustment for inflation real wages
   have decreased while corporate profits have
   grown.
7. Preparing and submitting his report was one of
   the most difficult tasks Bill had ever attempted.
8. To start a new business without doing market
   research would be foolish.
9. Barking insistently Smokey got us to throw his
   ball for him.
10. A popular and well respected mayor Tom Bailey was
    the clear favorite in the campaign for governor.

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Commas that Go AfterMark each sentence as C or
I. Correct Incorrect sentences.
Dear Johnny Im so excited to tell you
about our Fourth of July! That morning the rest
of the family arrived at our house. We cooked a
big breakfast that consisted of eggs bacon
biscuits and gravy toast milk and orange juice.
After eating the kids wanted to go outside and we
adults were more than happy to let them! In the
meantime Aunt Martha and I cleaned the kitchen.
The kids full of energy played nonstop the rest
of the morning. For dinner we grilled hotdogs
and had a great time and by the end of the day
everyone was exhausted. You must join us next
year! Love Miranda
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Commas with Quotation Marks

• Every quotation must have punctuation at the end,
  inside the quotation marks
• A comma if the quote is at the beginning--Hurry
  up, she said.
• An end mark if its at the end.--She said, "Hurry
  up."
• When a quote comes at the beginning of the
  sentence, end punctuation is determined by the
  type of sentence.
• Shut up! she yelled.
• Dont you love me? he asked.
• I guess so, he mumbled.
• Some form of punctuation must always separate the
  quote from the rest of the sentence
• A comma if the quote is at the end--Mr. Johnson
  said, Good grief!
• The punc. mark for the quote if the quote is at
  the beginning--I didn't see the alien, Mr.
  Johnson said.
• The placement of question marks with quotes
  follows logic.
• She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
• Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love
  and war?

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Commas with Quotation Marks

1. My sister would like to go to the movies with us
   said Gina May
2. This summer promises continued Roger to be a very
   memorable one for sure
3. Would you care for another slice of pizza asked
   Mom
4. Mrs. Miller said she wanted the tree projects on
   her desk first period tomorrow
5. Mrs. Gardner added We should find out tomorrow
6. Nick said that he wasn't feeling well yesterday
7. We have to finish this quickly or we'll get in
   trouble cried Katie
8. Here is the hammer you asked for said Richard
9. Perhaps you wouldn't be so tired suggested Dad if
   you went to bed earlier
10. Excellent work Paul praised Mom

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• NAMES
• Carla, where are you going?
• How are you doing, Sandy?
• Well, Jacob, you are wrong.
• Steven goes to the store.
• Blake likes turkey.
• My sister Angela lives in Ohio.

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Stuff Not on New Standards
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• Coordinate Adjectives (insert and, swap)
• Rachel lived a long, happy life.
• We were prepared for a long, tedious planning
  session.
• The former secret agent had to change her
  identity.
• Items in dates and addresses
• The house at 100 Main Street, Rome, GA 21210, was
  sold today.
• My son was born on January 5, 1976, in Chicago,
  Illinois.
• It was on January 5 that my son was born.
• In July 1999, we went to Italy.