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Commas

Learn the rules for using commas effectively in your writing with this comprehensive guide. Discover how commas are used in introductory elements, lists, series, coordinate adjectives, and nonessential elements.

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Commas

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  1. Commas because a pause is worth a thousand words

  2. introductory element: tells when, where, why, or how the action expressed by the predicate occurred • A comma is needed at the end of an introductory element to signal to readers that the introduction has ended and the main independent clause will follow: • In the morning, I like to drink coffee. • On the sunny porch, she placed her most ailing plants. • Because we were thrilled about winning the daily lottery, we jumped up and down. • Like screeching parrots, my friends and I sang at the top of our lungs. to separate introductory elements at the beginning of a sentence from the main independent clause

  3. A comma is needed between brief items in a list to signal to readers when one item ends and another one begins: • I tie-dyed my t-shirt various shades of yellow, orange, and red. • They wanted to go downtown, see a movie, and then eat dinner. • My parents hope that I'd go to college, finish my degree, and get a good job. to separate three or more items (words, phrases, or clauses) listed in a series

  4. Coordinate adjectives are two or more descriptive words that provide additional information about a noun or pronoun. If these adjectives are placed next to each other, commas must separate them: • The hot, smoky room absolutely took my breath away. • She was an enthusiastic, energetic moderator. • Although she wanted to go swimming, she settled for splashing around in a pool of murky, oil-spattered water. to separate coordinate adjectives

  5. "nonessential" (or "restrictive") elements: phrases and clauses that are not necessary for an independent clause to be considered a complete sentence • Generally, these nonessential elements provide additional description of nouns and pronouns. • Carol, a registered nurse, supervised the wellness screening. • The horses, freshly brushed, scampered about the riding ring. • I wanted to tell my brother, my confidante for years, what happened. to separate nonessential elements (phrases and clauses) from the main clause

  6. http://services.smarthinking.com/static/document_library/docs/writeman/5_09.cfmhttp://services.smarthinking.com/static/document_library/docs/writeman/5_09.cfm Works cited

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