Get out…
• index card
• Writer’s Guide
• white board
• glove
•IF
you do not have your Writer’s
Guide, get a green packet from Mrs.
Macauley- SIGN IT and DATE IT!
One of these
sentences needs
a comma.
Rewrite the one
that NEEDS it.
INSERT the
comma.
Last week’s math
test covered linear
equations which
was the hardest
topic all year.
Last week’s math
test which was the
hardest one all
year covered
linear equations.
 Last
week’s math test, which was the hardest
one all year, covered linear equations.
 WHY: the adjective clause is in the middle of

the sentence and is nonessential (not needed) in
the sentence.
See rule #10 in your Writer’s Guide.
Last week’s math test covered linear equations
which was the hardest topic all year.
• See NOTE on rule #10 in your Writer’s
Guide.
 If
you know the comma rules, you
can impress others.
WHY: If a sentence starts with a subordinating
conjunction, you will need a comma before the
complete sentence.
See rule #7 in your Writer’s Guide.
 You
can impress others if you know
the comma rules.
Rule #1: series
 Rule
#2: no comma
This year I really
learned a lot
about sentence
fluency,
organization, and
voice.
 Students
wrote
papers on Emily
Dickenson and
Robert Frost and
Dr. Seuss.
Rule #3: compound sentence
 Rule
#4: two adjectives
I know there
should be a
comma when a
sentence starts
with a
preposition, yet I
often forget.
 Persuasive
writing
requires a
passionate,
credible voice.
Rule #5: quotes
 Rule
Mrs. Macauley
said, “It is okay
to be wrong.”
 Of
#6: first words
course, there
will be a quiz on
commas.
Rule #7:
subordinating conjunction (SC)
Participial Phrase (PP)
While comma rules
may be difficult,
correct usage
helps readers
understand your
ideas.
 Rule
#8:
direct address
 Students,
please
copy down the
entire sentence.
Rule #9: transition
 Rule
#10:
adjective clause
More often than
not, reading your
paper aloud will
help with
sentence fluency.
 Good
word choice,
which is
subjective, can
transform a paper.
Rule #11:
 Rule
#12: date
appositive phrase
Comma usage,
part of the
punctuation unit,
will be the
biggest section of
the quiz.
 The
punctuation
quiz is scheduled
for May 10, 2011.
Rule #13: letter
Dear Students,
You can do this!!
I was born on March 6, 1971.
I was born on
March 6,
1971.
Rule # 12
date
Because of the rain, we had to
cancel practice.
Because of
the rain, we
had to
cancel
practice.
Rule #7
Subordinating
Conjunction
The crabby, unpleasant
woman scowled at us.
The crabby,
unpleasant
woman
scowled at
us.
Rule #4
Two
Adjectives
“Tell me your secret,” begged
Angela.
“Tell me your
secret,”
begged
Angela.
Rule #5
Quotes
My dog, Boomer, ran through
the screen door.
My dog,
Boomer, ran
through the
screen door.
Rule #11
appositive
Well, I suppose you think you
should get one too?
Well, I
suppose you
think you
should get
one too?
Rule #6
First Words
The mouse scurried across the
kitchen floor, and the cat
just watched.
The mouse
scurried
across the
kitchen floor,
and the cat
just
watched.
Rule # 3
Compound
Sentences
Sleeping soundly, Hank didn’t
hear the thunder.
Sleeping
soundly,
Hank didn’t
hear the
thunder.
Rule #7
Participial
Phrase
The fall leaves are a blend of
the colors red, yellow, and
orange.
The fall leaves
are a blend
of the colors
red, yellow,
and orange.
Rule # 1
Series
Tanya yelled, “Watch out!”
Tanya yelled,
“Watch out!”
Rule #5
Quotes
Son, you must clean up your
room!
Son, you must
clean up
your room!
Rule #8
Direct
Address
My soccer coach, who is my
friend’s dad, taught me a lot.
My soccer
coach, who
is my friend’s
dad, taught
me a lot.
Rule #10
Adjective
Clause
Frightened out of her mind,
Mindy covered her eyes
during the movie.
Frightened
out of her
mind, Mindy
covered her
eyes during
the movie.
Rule # 7
Participial
Phrase
The friends met at the beach,
swam in the lake, and built a
sandcastle.
The friends
met at the
beach, swam
in the lake,
and built a
sandcastle.
Rule #1
series
Gone With the Wind, the
Pulitzer Prize winning book,
sits on a shelf in my living
room.
Gone With the
Wind, the
Pulitzer Prize
winning
book, sits on
a shelf in my
living room.
Rule #11
Appositive
Shockingly, the entire class
completed the assignment on
time!
Shockingly,
the entire
class
completed
the
assignment
on time!
Rule #6
First Words
When the sun finally came
out, my mood improved.
When the sun
finally came
out, my
mood
improved.
Rule #7
Subordinating
Conjunction
The store was giving out
coupons which gave the
customer 50% off!
The store was
giving out
coupons
which gave
the customer
50% off!
Rule #10
Appositive
Phrase
(at the end of the sentence =
no comma)
Complete
worksheet
• You will need your
Writer’s Guide.
• If you do not have one,
you can download it via
my writing wiki site.
One of these
sentences needs
a comma.
Rewrite the one
that NEEDS it.
INSERT the
comma.
 The
baby has been
crying since his
mom left.
 Since
his mom left
the baby has been
crying.