COMMAS
WHEN TO USE THEM
,
A COMMA IS USED……
WHEN YOU NEED TO HAVE A PAUSE IN A SENTENCE.
USE A COMMA FOR WORDS IN A SERIES.
 Examples:
 Jared, Cleveland, and Sam tried out for the football team.
 My favorite foods are spaghetti, hamburgers, and pizza.
A comma is placed in between each word in a series to take the place of the word “and”. You wouldn’t want to say
“My favorite foods and spaghetti and hamburgers and pizza” would you?
USE A COMMA WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE ADJECTIVE.
 Examples:
 It was a cold, blustery day.
 The fresh, hot rolls were brought to the table in minutes.
 Again, this comma takes the place of the word “and”
USE WITH ADJECTIVE CLAUSES
AN ADJECTIVE CLAUSE GIVES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A NOUN BUT IT IS A
CLAUSE SO IT HAS A SUBJECT AND VERB.
EXAMPLES:
PIZZA, WHICH MOST PEOPLE LOVE, IS NOT VERY HEALTHY.
GYM, WHICH SOME STUDENTS EXCEL IN, IS A RELATED ARTS CLASS.
USE COMMAS TO SET OFF APPOSITIVES
AN APPOSITIVE GIVES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A NOUN. IT FOLLOWS A NOUN AND RENAMES THE
NOUN. THE APPOSITIVES BELOW ARE IN YELLOW. A COMMA GOES BEFORE AND AFTER AN APPOSITIVE.
EXAMPLES:
CAMILLE MORILLA, A VETERAN CYCLIST, WON THE RACE.
JOHN HANCOCK, A BOY IN MY CLASS, FAILED TO MAKE THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
USE A COMMA BEFORE A DIRECT QUOTE
WHENEVER YOU ARE WRITING DIALOGUE YOU MUST REMEMBER
YOUR COMMA!
EXAMPLE:
MARY SAID, “I WISH EVERYONE WOULD STUDY FOR TESTS.”
“THE WORLD IS ROUND,” SAID CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
COMMAS SET OFF INTRODUCTORY PHRASES AND TO CREATE
COMPOUND SENTENCES.
 Use a comma when you join two sentences with a conjunction.
 Examples:
 Mary went to work, and Sam went to school.
 Use a comma after words like “yes, no, or well” at the beginning of a sentence.
 Example:
 Yes, we know that we are running late.
 Use commas to separate the name of someone being spoken to.
 Example:
 Inez, please pick up the trash now.
 It is important, Lenore, to check the air in your tires regularly.
DEPENDENT CLAUSES NEED COMMAS
USE A COMMA WITH A DEPENDENT CLAUSE, WITH UNNECESSARY WORDS OR PHRASES, AND TO KEEP YOUR
SENTENCE FROM BEING CONFUSING.
EXAMPLE:
UNTIL WE WENT INSIDE, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS A SURPRISE PARTY. - - - DEPENDENT CLAUSE
SOON AFTER OPENING, THE FARMERS MARKET RAN OUT OF CORN. ----THIS CLARIFIES THE SENTENCE.
(SOON AFTER OPENING THE FARMERS MARKET RAN OUT OF CORN) - CONFUSING
USE COMMAS IN DATES AND ADDRESSES
COMMAS SEPARATE THE PARTS OF A DATE AND CITY FROM COUNTRY.
EXAMPLE:
THE BIKE RALLY WILL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12.
I LIVE IN ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.