Homework and Class Work for ENG 100B
Monday, Dec. 3, 2012
1st Pd: , Bryan Wright, Sumner McCarty, Coleen Helvey
2nd Pd: Mark Dameron, Austin Gilliam, Spencer Griggs, Whitney Lewis, Andrea Wallace
INDEPENDENT WORK:
Commas – Unnecessary Commas
RULE 8: Do not use unnecessary commas.
A mistake in writing is the overuse of commas, and the most common example of this is separation of the subject and the
verb by the comma, particularly when the subject is followed by a series of phrases or clauses.
INCORRECT
The algebra teacher in the room across the hall, is yelling at her noisy class.
[Teacher is the subject; it must not be
yelling.]
CORRECT
separated by a comma from the verb is
The algebra teacher in the room across the hall is yelling at her noisy class.
NOTE Although at first glance the comma following a nonessential clause or phrase may seem to separate the subject and verb, this is really not so, since nonessential elements in the middle of a sentence are set off by two
commas, one preceding and one following each nonessential element.
EXAMPLE
The school nurse, having taken my temperature, sent me home.
If you remember that a nonessential element in the middle of a sentence must have two commas, you will have little
difficulty with this rule.
This is the last commas rule. The quiz over this material will be on
Friday, December 7, 2012.
CLASSWORK:
1st Period
Now You See It . . . pages 61-104 of Chapter 3. Make up reading quiz over material. The class discussed this
chapter in detail. You may want to check with a classmate to see if they have notes.
2nd Period:
Now You See It . . . pages 61-104 of Chapter 3. Turn in Reading Response Journal for credit. The class
discussed this chapter in detail. You may want to check with a classmate to see if they have notes.