The Wonderful World of Commas
Commas are used to clarify your thoughts. They indicate pauses in ideas that are
too closely related to merit a full stop between them. Never use a comma unless you can
justify its use. There are ten basic rules for comma use. If you get in the habit of checking
your work to make sure that each comma is doing a specific job, you will eliminate
almost all the comma faults that you have had in your writing.
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1. Use commas to separate elements in a series when there are at least three elements.
Always use a comma before the final and or or. NEVER use a comma to separate only
two elements.
I watched a movie, read the paper, and washed dishes before I went to bed.
We can have spaghetti, or meat loaf. (WRONG!!!!)
2. Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions when there are complete independent
clauses on each side of the conjunction.
I do not want to run, nor will I accept the nomination.
He wants to improve his English, so he is taking classes at the community college.
3. Use a comma after subordinate clauses only when the SC comes at the beginning of
the sentence. Never ever use a comma before a subordinator.
Because she is so patient, her students love and respect her.
His students love him, even though he is a hard grader. (WRONG!!!!)
4. Use commas to isolate non-essential relative clauses, appositives, and participial
phrases.
My oldest sister, a ballerina, has performed all over the world.
Epcot Center, which is near Orlando, is a wonderful place for a family vacation.
5. Use a comma before too when it means also.
My youngest son wants to play soccer, too.
Did the fire alarm scare you, too?
6. Use a comma to separate introductory information about time or place from the
main clause.
The next morning, we decided to pack up our camping gear and go home.
At the ranch, we always get up early and ride horses before breakfast.
7. Use a comma to separate expletives from the main clause.
Yes, you may have an extra day to finish your project.
Wow, your work is great!
8. NEVER use just a comma to separate two independent clauses. This is a comma
splice, and it drives English teachers absolutely crazy!
I went to a great restaurant, I had lobster. (WRONG!!!!)
They wrote wonderful journals, they made straight 100s on all their exams.
(WRONG!!!!)
9. NEVER use a comma to separate a subject from its own verb.
My sister, went to Bangkok for vacation. (WRONG!!!!)
Having good grades, is important to most students. (WRONG!!!!)
10. NEVER use a comma whose use you cannot explain.
Add commas where necessary in these sentences. Directly above each comma that you
add, write the number of the comma rule (from the previous page) that applies. If no
commas are needed, according to a rule, write that comma rule number after the sentence.
If a comma must be removed, X it out and write that comma rule number above the X.
Many sentences need several commas, representing several comma rules.
1. When we decided to buy a new car we looked in the classified ads of the newspaper.
2. My brother and sister-in-law bought a new house too.
3. The top student in the class a woman who studies six hours a night won four
scholarships for academic excellence citizenship artistic ability and athletic skill.
4. They decided to take a long vacation in the South Pacific for they both had been
working at hard demanding exacting jobs and they were both exhausted.
5. They decided to take a trip to Tahiti because they felt that they deserved it.
6. My paper should have gotten an A but I forgot to turn it in on time so the teacher
refused to accept it at all.
7. Her dogs and cats fight and bite each other all day and night.
8. Yes I believe your story.
9. The women in the class decided to go out for a drink and the men went with them too.
10. If you study physics chemistry or calculus you must be prepared to work long hours
spend a lot of money for books and equipment and explain your weird fascination with
numbers and exactitude to your friends coworkers and relatives but it will be worthwhile
because you will have many job offers from academic institutions private industry and
the military.
11. Although I have never been to Asia I know a lot about it because so many of my
students have been from China Hong Kong and Taiwan.
12. Heavens no you cannot skip the last test!
13. Everybody seemed to have a good time at the party, no one wanted to leave.
14. My brother and sister, want a pet pig.
15. Commas are not too hard but you must pay careful attention to where you put them
and why you use them.