ENG II B
WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?
WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?
Commas are necessary for clear expression of
ideas. As we read the following sentences,
notice how the placement of the comma affects
the meaning of each sentence.
EXAMPLES
1. When someone calls you, answer immediately.
2. When someone calls, you answer immediately.
Failing to use necessary commas may
confuse your reader.
WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?
Failing to use necessary commas may
confuse your reader.
CONFUSING
The friends I have invited are Ruth Ann Jerry
Lee Derrick Martha and Julie.
HOW MANY FRIENDS?
WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?
Failing to use necessary commas may
confuse your reader.
CLEAR
The friends I have invited are Ruth Ann, Jerry
Lee, Derrick, Martha, and Julie.
HOW MANY FRIENDS?
RULE 1:
USE THE COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A
SERIES.
Notice in the following examples that the number
of commas in a series is only one less that the
number of items in the series.
EXAMPLES
1. All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles came to our
family reunion. [nouns]
2. My grandparents were excited, happy, and proud that
so many came. [adjectives]
3. The adults talked, laughed, took photographs, and
shared memories. [verbs]
Notice in the following examples that the number
of commas in a series is only one less that the
number of items in the series.
EXAMPLES
4. The children played in the yard, at the playground, and by the
pond. [prepositional phrases]
5. I shall always remember that weekend of feasting, telling
stories, and playing games. [gerund and gerund phrases (a
gerund is a verb ending in –ing)]
6. Those who had flown to the reunion, who had driven many
miles, or who had even taken time off from their jobs were glad
that they had come. [subordinate clauses]
#1
When the last two items in a series are joined by
and, you may omit the comma before the and if
the comma is not necessary to make the
meaning clear.
CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTED
The salad contained lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and
radishes.
NOT CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTED
Our school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor, features
and art. How many editors are there, four or five? Does one person
serve as feature and art editor, or is an editor needed for each job?
When the last two items in a series are joined by
and, you may omit the comma before the and if
the comma is not necessary to make the
meaning clear.
NOT CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTED
Our school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor, features
and art. How many editors are there, four or five? Does one person
serve as feature and art editor, or is an editor needed for each job?
CLEAR WITH COMMA INCLUDED
Our school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor,
features, and art. [five editors]
When the last two items in a series are joined by
and, you may omit the comma before the and if
the comma is not necessary to make the
meaning clear.
Some writers prefer always to
use the comma before the and,
whether or not it is necessary
for clarity.
For this class, ALWAYS
use the comma.
NOTE:
Some words —such as bread and butter,
rod and reel, table and chairs — are
used in pairs and may be set off as one
item in a series:
My favorite breakfast is milk, bacon and
eggs, and fruit.
#2
a) If all items in a series are joined by and or or, do
not use commas to separate them.
EXAMPLES
I need tacks and nails and a hammer.
Sam or Carlos or Yolanda can baby-sit tonight.
b) Independent clauses in a series are usually
separated by semicolons. Short independent
clauses, however, may be separated by commas.
EXAMPLES
The sky grew dark; tree branches swayed in the wind; the cold
deepened; the first snowflakes fell.
#3