Grammar Again at the End of Sentence

Lesson 13: Commas

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What is a comma?

A comma is a punctuation mark that can be used in many different ways. Mainly, it's used to separate things—for instance, ii thoughts in a sentence, multiple adjectives, or items in a list.

At that place are many rules that tell us how commas should be used, but don't let it scare you. With a piddling practice, it'll outset to experience like second nature. Some rules are set in rock. They work the aforementioned fashion every time, so you don't take to remember virtually them too much. Other rules are more than complicated. In these cases, you have to understand the meaning of the judgement to know when and where to use the comma.

Using commas

The basic rules for using commas are pretty foolproof. In other words, they're piece of cake to utilise to your writing because they always work the aforementioned fashion. You lot don't accept to worry nigh any special exceptions or wonder where the comma is supposed to go. Each rule tells you lot exactly what to exercise.

Joining two sentences

You already know how to bring together two sentences using conjunctions like and, or, but, and then. We do it all the time in regular chat, if not in writing.

As yous tin see, the comma goes between the two sentences, right before the conjunction. It tells you where one thought ends and another begins. Placing the comma later the conjunction would exist incorrect considering the conjunction is part of the second thought.

Listing items in a judgement

Commas can also be used to separate 3 or more items in a list. Just place a comma between each item (and an advisable punctuation marking at the cease). The last item is usually joined by a conjunction like and, or, or nor. Like the rule for joining sentences, the comma goes right before the conjunction.

Place names and dates

In that location are certain types of identify names (for example, city/state and land/state) that are ever separated by a comma when you write them out. You can come across this rule in action on any mailing envelope.

Phoenix is a place inside Arizona—that's why there'south a comma between the urban center and land. This rule applies whenever you refer to a identify in a similar fashion, whether it's MTV Studios , Times Foursquare (which isn't even a metropolis, state, or country) or England , Britain.

Dates work most the same way. For instance, when you lot write the full appointment, it should expect something similar this: January one, 2014. Information technology'south almost every bit if the day and the month are inside the yr—which is true, in a way. Nosotros're talking near January one in the yr 2014. That'south why at that place'due south a comma between the date and year.

Quotations

Quotations are commonly made up of ii things: a quote (what the person said) and a tag (the person who said it). Commas play an important function also—they separate the quote from the tag, so we can tell they're carve up only connected.

Then where does the comma go? It depends on the layout of the sentence. Hither are three examples.

• Earlier the quote: Vanessa asked, "Is anyone else hungry?"
• Afterward the quote (within the quotation marker): "I could go for some pizza," said Elizabeth.
• Both ways (in the middle of a quote): "I want pizza," said Rick, "but not with anchovies!"

To learn more, take a expect at our lesson on Quotation Marks.

At that place are two commas missing from the case below. Tin can you tell where they're supposed get? Click the dots to see if y'all're right!

Nope!

That's not quite right, but you're shut. Remember: when joining two sentences, the comma ever goes before the conjunction.

That'southward right!

This is where the first comma should go—right before the conjunction . Information technology tells you where one thought ends ( I heard a audio in the attic ) and some other one begins ( I went to run into what it was ).

Endeavour over again!

This should be a period , not a comma. You can tell because the next sentence is a complete sentence (and there's no conjunction joining them together).

Right!

This is a good example of a quote that comes after a tag. In a case like this, the comma ever goes before the quote (outside the quotation marks).

More than commas

To use commas in more than complicated sentences, you'll have to utilize your judgment. This means you'll need to think nigh each judgement (and brand sure you actually sympathize what makes it work) before you can apply the comma.

Don't let this scare y'all. As always, it's not the end of the world if you make a mistake. If y'all get stuck on a dominion, try looking closely at the example—sometimes it helps to run across the rule in action. If you're non a native English speaker, these rules can be specially hard to grasp. You may desire to ask someone you know for help, such as a friend, coworker, or teacher.

Adjectives

Another time yous use commas is when you lot have two or more than adjectives in a sentence. Just place the comma between them—this separates them and makes the sentence easier to read.

This rule is pretty universal, but information technology isn't always true. You lot should but utilise a comma if the adjectives are interchangeable.

Interchangeable ways you tin can listing the adjectives in any order and it won't modify the meaning of the sentence. To detect out if two adjectives are interchangeable, try reversing them—then run across if the sentence nevertheless makes sense.

Here's the aforementioned instance with a unlike pair of adjectives: succulent and frozen. This time, the adjectives aren't interchangeable. (If you opposite them, y'all can probably come across why.) This means they shouldn't be separated with a comma.

The truth is, frozen yogurt is more simply an describing word followed by a noun. It's blazon of thing, like a miniature poodle, striped shirt, or even hot chocolate. All of these examples are made upward of two words, but they represent a unmarried thing. If y'all separate them with a comma—or write them in a different order—the words lose their significant.

Introductory clauses

Yous might already know that an incomplete sentence is a fragment. When you brainstorm a sentence with a fragment, it's chosen an introductory clause. (To larn more, bank check out our lesson on Fragments.)

Information technology's perfectly OK to begin a sentence this way, so follow it with a complete thought. You lot just have to separate these thoughts with a comma. This makes the sentence easier to read, and information technology too tells the reader where to pause if needed.

In the instance above, the thing earlier the comma (while you lot were sleeping) is a fragment; the thing later the comma (I gave y'all a new haircut) is a consummate sentence. The comma is necessary only if the clause introduces the sentence. If the phrases were written in the contrary society, yous wouldn't apply a comma.

What nearly expressions like luckily, however, and as you can see? It's more common to see these at the showtime of a sentence, merely they can appear the stop besides. Dissimilar introductory clauses, they don't necessarily add together anything new to the sentence. Regardless, they should always exist separated by a comma. For case: I gave yous a new haircut, as you tin can run into.

Nonessential clauses

You should also use commas to separate nonessential clauses that appear in the middle of a sentence. A nonessential clause is something that adds pregnant but that isn't completely necessary. In other words, if you took it out the sentence would even so mean basically the aforementioned thing.

To discover out if a clause is nonessential, try removing it from the sentence, then see how it sounds. The sentence above would notwithstanding make sense if nosotros removed the detail most the ascot. It would be: Steve is very tidy.

If the clause was essential, we wouldn't be able to remove information technology. Effort this sentence instead: Men who wear ascots are very tidy. If we accept out the detail well-nigh the ascot, we're left something slightly different: Men are very tidy. This is far too full general to be true—later on all, some men are really sloppy. This is how you know the clause is essential to the sentence's significant.

Other cases

As you gain more than experience with commas, y'all'll run into cases when your judgment matters more than than e'er. These cases are more difficult to ascertain, simply they build on the rules we simply discussed.

For instance, some sentences stop with a blazon of fragment called a free modifier. This is just a fancy word for something that clarifies or relates to another function of the sentence. When you use a gratuitous modifier like this, always separate it with a comma.

Other sentences end with a distinct pause, followed by something more than cryptic. That final beat could be the name of the person you're talking to, a statement of confirmation, or a single give-and-take. Whatsoever it is, that beat as well should exist separated by a comma.

Below are 2 sentences that include a series of commas—one is correct, and the other is not. Use what y'all just learned to decide which one is right, so click the dots to see if you're right!

Not quite!

Hither, an essential clause has been mistaken for a nonessential clause . The judgement should be written without commas instead:

Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Correct!

The comma in this sentence is used correctly. It separates the introductory clause ( if you lot keep making that face ) from the rest of the judgement ( information technology'southward going to stay that way ).

Mutual comma mistakes

Joining ii sentences without a conjunction

People oftentimes make the fault of using a comma to bring together ii sentences without a conjunction. For case:

Detect how the offset version of the judgement is missing something? It needs a conjunction like and or merely to join the two halves properly. Yous could also use a semi-colon to correct it instead: She was a modest-town-girl; he was a metropolis boy . Or you could rewrite the sentence every bit two sentences, with a period in between.

Joining a compound subject or predicate

Think how you're supposed to use a comma to divide 3 or more items in a list? Be careful not to go overboard and commencement separating two items that vest together (in other words, a chemical compound subject or predicate).

Information technology might assist to think of the compound as a unmarried idea or thought. In the case above, the gym teacher and the principal are both part of Aunt Ruth'southward dating history—and they're the only things listed. You wouldn't break them upwardly unless and the principal was rewritten as a consummate sentence. For case: Aunt Ruth used to date the gym teacher, only she dumped him for the principal .

When a fragment follows a sentence

It's easy to confuse a fragment at the end of a sentence with an introductory clause—they do look similar. We already touched on this rule when nosotros went over introductory clauses, simply it can't hurt to review it once more.

A fragment merely works every bit an introductory clause if it's at the first of a sentence. If it's at the finish, you don't need a comma. In this example, the sentence would need a comma only if it was written in the reverse order: While my hubby went camping, I went to Vegas .

Forcing a break

Using a comma to force the reader to pause is a common fault. Just remember: Commas are meant to make things easier to read, non necessarily influence the way they're read.

If you want the reader to break, you lot'll have to get creative with your formatting. For instance, y'all could utilise an ellipses (a very common way of indicating a interruption), like in the example to a higher place. Or you could write the discussion you desire to emphasize in all caps or italics. This way, the reader can really feel the weight of it: And THAT is how you lot deep-fry a turkey .

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Grammar Again at the End of Sentence

Source: https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/grammar/commas/1/

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