Commas

What are they?

Connections
Commas have many uses in the English language. They are For more help
responsible for everything from setting apart items in a series to understanding sentence
making your writing clearer and preventing misreading. Correct combining, turn to
comma use is a difficult skill to master since it requires a “Coordinators” and
combination of grammar knowledge and independent stylistic “Subordinators.”
judgment.

Sentence Combining
When you are joining ideas, phrases or clauses within a sentence, you often will use a comma for
punctuation.

An independent clause, also known as a simple sentence, is a group of words that contains a
subject and a verb AND can stand alone as a sentence. For example
 The child went to the dentist.
 His girlfriend is angry.
 She will buy a new pair of shoes.

You can join an independent clause with another independent clause using a coordinator
(FANBOYS) and a comma:
You can easily remember
the seven coordinators by
 Angelo rides his bike, and Mary takes the bus. keeping in mind the word
“FANBOYS” :
 Marguerite grabbed the diamonds, but Oliver sold them on
the black market. For And Nor
But Or Yet So

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb BUT it cannot stand alone
because it starts with a subordinator, words like although, while, since, because, if, until, after. For
example:
 When the child went to the dentist
 Because his girlfriend is angry
 Although she will buy new shoes

You will use a comma after a dependent clause to join it to the independent clause that finishes the
thought:

 Even though Michael was allowed to go to the concert, his mother made sure he had completed all his
homework.

However, if you reverse the order and put the independent clause first and the dependent clause
second, you do not need a comma:

 His mother made sure he had completed all his homework even though Michael was allowed to go to
the game.
Series

You will use commas to separate items in a series containing three or more coordinate elements.

 Ron, Maria, and Jessica play soccer every day after school.
 My favorite vegetables are Brussels sprouts, spinach, and cauliflower.
 I want either fettuccini alfredo, eggplant parmesan, or the linguine with clams in a white sauce.

You will use commas to separate items in a series of two or more coordinate adjectives—adjectives
modifying the same idea independent of each other.

 It should be a slow, lazy day.

 Seven years passed in a destructive, whirling blur.
 He brought his sleek, shiny bicycle.

Commas are not required when the adjectives are cumulative, or when they describe different
aspects of the same noun.

 Donnie sold me ten gold bowling balls.

 My favorites are the lazy white clouds.
 He ordered a delicious chocolate cake for the party.

Comma-Adjective Rule

To help you decide whether or not you should use a comma when separating two or more
adjectives, ask yourself the following two questions:

 Can the order of the two adjectives be reversed?

 Can the word “and” be put between the adjectives?

If either answer is yes, then the adjectives are coordinate, and you should use a comma.
 Jessica is an ambitious, intelligent woman.
o Jessica is an intelligent, ambitious woman. [order reversed]
o Jessica is an intelligent and ambitious woman. [added “and”]

If you cannot reverse the order of or add “and” to the adjectives, then they are cumulative, and do not
require a comma.
 Roger has fourteen silver horns.
o Roger has silver fourteen horns. [The reversed order does not work.]
o Roger has fourteen and silver horns. [The added “and” does not work.]
Setting off Nonessential Elements
Some modifying elements of a sentence are essential, restricting the meaning of a modified term,
while others are nonessential and do not restrict the modified term's meaning. These nonessential
elements, which can be words, phrases, or clauses, are set off with commas.

Nonessential (Nonrestrictive) Essential (Restrictive)

Students, who use the majority of the Students who play any school sport
Health Center’s services, claim to be will receive free tickets to final game.
especially sick this year. Only students who play a school
All students claim to be sick this sport receive the tickets, not all
year. students.
The professor, with a wink, The professor with no students is
dismissed her class early. good for very little.
Removing the phrase “with a wink” The prepositional phrase “with no
doesn’t change the meaning of the students” tells what kind of professor
sentence. is good for very little; it is essential.

Popular politicians, campaigning in The politician campaigning for

every small town in America, wave president has no time for a
the American flag and kiss babies. meaningful personal life.

The Big Lebowski, a 1997 Coen The great American movie The Big
Brothers film, is a modern mystery Lebowski popularized the nickname
and a Western rolled into one. “Dude.”

When deciding whether information is nonessential or essential, ask yourself this question:
 Is the modifier essential to the meaning of the noun or subject it modifies?
NO: Nonrestrictive (use commas)
YES: Restrictive (no commas)
Transitional Words and Phrases
Transitional words and phrases qualify, clarify, and make connections between ideas. They are
usually set off with commas when they introduce, interrupt, or come at the end of a clause.

Transitions
however for example
therefore on the other hand
thus typically speaking
nevertheless as a result
furthermore alternatively

 Nevertheless, she took the bus knowing it would be late.

 On the other hand, money is money and I have to pay my rent.
 Rare horses, however, are something I would consider buying.

Note: When you use a transitional word to combine two independent clauses, you must use a
semicolon or punctuate them as two separate sentences.

 Diamonds are rare; however, the coal that makes them is abundant.
 The best dogs raced first; therefore, the spectators all went home before it rained.
 Laughter is the best medicine; of course, penicillin also comes in handy sometimes.
 I wanted to finish quickly. Unfortunately, I still had three exams afterward.

Quotations
In most cases, use commas to set off a direct quotation from the identifying tag (he said, she
screamed, I wrote and so on).

 Thoreau said, “To be awake is to be alive.”

 “To be awake is to be alive,” Thoreau said.
 “To be awake,” Thoreau said, “is to be alive.”
 “To be awake is to be alive,” Thoreau said. “I have never yet met a man who was quite
awake.”

If the quoted text contains an exclamation point or a question mark, do not use a comma in addition:

 “Should we bring the casserole tonight?” he asked.

 “I love those children!” the father screamed.

Adapted from:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_commaess.html 3/23/06 – 1:00PM &
The Brief Holt Handbook, Fourth Edition, Kirszner & Mandell, 2004
 PRACTICE

Exercise 1 – Commas – Dependent & Independent Clauses

Add commas where necessary in the sentences below. Some sentences will not require one.

Examples:
Although my mother told me not to get her a gift, I decided to make her a scrapbook.

I want to give more money to her charity, but I think the IRS already took too much of my salary.

1. Lately Katherine has wanted more companionship even though she rather likes to be alone.

2. Jerry vies for her attention but she has so much on her own mind as she suffers through this
ordeal.

3. But whereas Alec acts like a friend he also wants Katherine’s admiration.

4. So that she will be found innocent Miss Smatter will write another’s confession.

5. Jerry eats his sandwich as coolly as the others do yet he can’t shake the feeling of deception
and mistrust.

6. Sabrina thinks that the apartment’s rent is trivial while Kelly thinks it crucial.

7. Although Rachel has little say in the matter her friends could use the advice.

8. Because her dog was hit by a car he walks with a substantial limp.

9. The doctor set it with pins and even though he didn’t scratch at it he was still forced to wear a
giant collar.

10. Either the bill is paid within the month or the doctor will send a collection agency for the
money.
Exercise 2 – Commas – Series and Adjectives
Add commas where necessary in the sentences below. Some sentences will not require one.

Example:
I want to pick fragrant, colorful daffodils, roses, and lilies for my sister’s birthday party.

1. Lately Martin has been picking giant swollen mushrooms from his yard.

2. Sue won the “Vegetable Prize of the Day” that included carrots turnips and leeks.

3. Most people don’t know that their favorite chips contain preservatives artificial flavors and
MSG.

4. The three tall brothers took the brilliant shining vitamins before playing sports.

5. Watching movies reading books sleeping and exercising are my favorite weekend activities.

Exercise 3 – Commas – Essential and Nonessential Items

Add commas where necessary in the sentences below. Some sentences will not require one.

Example:
 The racing fans, who rarely wave pennants, showed up in full force on Sunday.

1. Shelly my mother’s step-sister gave me thirty dollars last week.

2. The campus police who rarely arrest any faculty members are responsible for patrolling all
night long.

3. The man walking his dog down the street looks like my great-uncle Ted.

4. My grandmother with a terrible scream alerted me to the fire in her closet.

5. Doug gave me three helpings of dessert which was a crème brûlée.

6. Speaking as if he was consumed with fury Louis yelled to the audience.

7. The actor with no siblings starred in the blockbuster movie Grammar Cop.

8. The helicopter a Grasker A-7 flew over the vast and empty desert.

9. His wife the fifth one before Jane and after Cecilia always worried their marriage wouldn’t last.

10. “Sonny’s Blues” the famous story by Baldwin contains rich allegory that weaves along with
fascinating symbolism a rich fabric of text accessible to most readers.
Exercise 4 – Commas – Transitions
Add commas and/or semicolons where necessary in the sentences below.

Example:
 Nevertheless, I wanted to go to the farm to see the llamas.

1. I didn’t want to see the whole country however I did want to visit the biggest states and
prettiest parks.

2. On the other hand Martin said that Oklahoma is worth skipping.

3. Alternatively I dream about the open road even if it is scary sometimes.

4. My car takes five quarts of oil typically speaking.

5. I made the motel reservations already therefore I should leave next week.

6. Pharmaceuticals as a result are becoming more and more expensive.

7. Thus I will need to buy a new car before I set off on Sunday.

Exercise 5 – Commas – Quotations

Add commas where necessary in the sentences below.

1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge” Albert Einstein wisely once asserted.

2. Walt Disney offered excellent advice when he said “The way to get started is to quit talking and
begin doing.”

3. Do you agree with the assertion made by Socrates “An unexamined life is not worth living”?

4. “To be or not to be?” is one of the most quoted phrases from Shakespeare’s plays.

5. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow” Gandhi advised. “Learn as if you were to live forever.”

6. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley puts a forth a shocking assertion “Most men and women will
grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution.”