PUNCTUATING A SERIES WITH COMMAS
In this module, you will learn to use
 Commas with words and phrases in a series
 Commas with dates and addresses.
Introduction
We'll investigate the uses of the comma when we encounter items in a series. The items
can be words or phrases. And we create a series when we place two or more
similar/related items in a row. It is important that we be able to recognize a series because
our punctuation is aimed at it. So let's have a closer look at how we make a series and
when a series ceases to be a series.
Series
To determine when a series exists, let's look at the following examples.
Example:
"Neither the buff, white, nor gray rugs seemed to match the office furniture."
We have three similar/related adjectives (buff, white, gray) in a row, forming a series of
words.
Example:
"We worked during the evening, throughout the night, and into the morning."
We have three similar/related prepositional phrases (during the evening, throughout the
night, into the morning) in a row, forming a series of phrases.
To form a series, the ITEMS must be similar and/or related, and a SERIES must not be
interrupted except by conjunctions or punctuation.
Now let's have a look at how we punctuate various series of items: duo series (only two
items), multiseries (more than two items), and specialized series.
Duo Series
In a series of only two (duo) items, we use a conjunction to join the items except for
adjectives, which may take a comma instead of a conjunction.
To illustrate this duo series concept, let's reduce one of our previous sample sentences to
a two-item series. Note the disappearance of the commas.
"Neither the buff nor gray rugs seemed to match the office furniture."
We do not use a comma in front of a conjunction that joins a duo series.
Adjective Exceptions
The exceptions to the duo-series punctuation rule are adjectives. When adjectives modify
the same noun/pronoun, the adjectives may be separated (joined) by a comma.
Examples
"We thought of him as a kind, generous person."
"We thought of him as a kind and generous person."
An adjective duo series takes either a conjunction or a comma, but never both.
Multiseries
We create a multiseries when we write more than two similar/related items in a row. These
items in a row must not be interrupted by anything except conjunctions and punctuation or
both. Let's look at two sentences.
Sentences:
"Barbara, Margaret, Hugh, and Everett volunteered for the Dance Committee."
"Arriving early, working hard, and staying late are three requirements for stage success."
In the above sentences, we have four nouns (Barbara, Margaret, Hugh, Everett) and three
gerund phrases (Arriving early, working hard, and staying late) in a row. All the items in
each sentence are similar/related items. And neither the words nor phrases are interrupted
by anything except punctuation or conjunctions or both.
Therefore, the items in the two sample sentences form two separate series of items.
In a multiseries, separate each item with a comma and place both a conjunction and a
comma in front of the last item. Do not place any punctuation after the last item.
Specialized Series
The punctuation of dates and addresses is specialized and differs from the punctuation of
multiseries in two ways: we never join items with conjunctions, and we place a comma
after the last item.
Date Series
The composition and sequencing of date-series items in normal technical and business
communications are shown below.
First item: The name of the day.
Second item: The name of the month and the date.
Third item: The year.
It is important to note that the second item, the name of month and date, must include both
month and date to be considered a date item.
Let's look at a few examples of date items and date series.
Examples:
"The trial was set for Thursday, November 24, 1998, in the city of Hamilton."
Also acceptable is
"The trial was set for Thursday, 24 November, 1998, in the city of Hamilton."
The two examples above are correctly punctuated.
Practice:
"Our committee met on Saturday evening October 29 in the editor's office."
We notice the items are similar/related--items of a date. But the word "evening" interrupts
and destroys the series. Because the similar/related items are interrupted, we do not have
a series.
The sentence is correctly punctuated as it is.
A note of caution: It's not an all-or-nothing approach. A date series can be partially
interrupted. Let's modify the same sentence to see how interruption can work.
"Our committee is to meet on Saturday June 15 in 1999 at the editor's office."
We check the first two items, Saturday and June 15, and find that they are not interrupted.
We find that the second and third items, June 15 and 1999, are interrupted by the word
"in."
Of the three similar/related items, only the first two (being uninterrupted) form a series. The
series is a date series, so we apply date-series punctuation.
"Our committee is to meet on Saturday, June 15, in 1999 at the editor's office."
Let's try one more sentence.
Sentence:
"That research article appeared in the September 1998 issue of Welding Journal."
We find that "September" does not include a date, so September does not make up an
item. We have one item--the year. With only one item, we have nothing to punctuate.
The sentence is correctly punctuated as it is.
Address Series
This section deals with punctuating addresses as they appear when written into sentences
and not as they would appear in the display blocks of letters and envelopes.
In address series, conjunctions are never used to join items, and we place a comma after
every item, including the last.
The composition and sequencing of address-series items in normal technical and
business communications are shown below.
Note the following:
The building number, thoroughfare designation, and compass quadrants are all
included in one item. Example: 275 Cantley Drive NW or P.O. Box 1275.
The province/postal code and state/zip code are considered one item and are not
separated by a comma. Example: Alberta T0H 1W1 or Florida 32886.
Let's practice punctuating a few sentences containing addresses.
Sentence:
"The trial would take place in the Courthouse Belleville Ontario sometime in the fall."
We identify the items Courthouse and Belleville and Ontario. The items are similar/related-concerning an address.
We check and find that the words are not interrupted. We have a three-item address
series, so we punctuate it.
"The trial will take place in the Courthouse, Belleville, Ontario, sometime in the fall."
But have a good look at the next sentence.
Sentence:
"The trial will take place in the Courthouse in Belleville in the province of Ontario."
The items are interrupted. The words " in" and "in the province of" interrupt the items,
destroying the series. So we do not have an address series to punctuate.
Sentence:
"Please mail this to Site 6 Oasis Campgrounds Sangudo AB T0E 2A2 by tomorrow."
We identify the items Site 6 and Oasis Campgrounds and Sangudo and AB and T0E 2A2.
We find that the words are not interrupted. So we have a five item address series to
punctuate.
We apply address-series punctuation.
"Please mail this to Site 6, Oasis Campgrounds, Sangudo, AB T0E 2A2, by tomorrow."
Shall we look at a variation?
Sentence:
"The house at 759 on Bermuda Drive in Calgary Alberta is up for sale."
We identify the items 759 and Bermuda Drive and Calgary and Alberta. The items are
similar/related--concerning an address.
We find that the first two items are interrupted by the word "on." So we can rule out 759 as
being any part of an address series. The items Bermuda Drive and Calgary are also
interrupted by the word "in." So neither "759" nor "Bermuda Drive" can be part of a series.
We find that the last two similar/related items, Calgary and Alberta, are not interrupted.
Therefore, we have a partial address series to punctuate.
"The house at 759 on Bermuda Drive in Calgary, Alberta, is up for sale."
So be on the lookout for partial series (both dates and addresses) as you do the questions
that follow.
Exercises
Select the correctly punctuated sentence. The answers appear after the last question.
1.
A. We are looking for a copy of the August 1997 issue of Metro Magazine.
B. We are looking for a copy of the August ,1997 issue of Metro Magazine.
C. We are looking for a copy of the August, 1997, issue of Metro Magazine.
2.
A. The committee met on Thursday November 17, 1998, at the national office.
B. The committee met on Thursday, November 17, 1998 at the national office.
C. The committee met on Thursday, November 17, 1998, at the national office.
3.
A. On July 23, 1995, we created the position but needed to abolish it in August, of 1998.
B. On July 23, 1995, we created the position but needed to abolish it in August of 1998.
C. On July 23, 1995 we created the position but needed to abolish it in August of 1998.
4.
A. We all did our parts in cleaning, decorating, and rearranging, the gym for the dance.
B. We all did our parts in cleaning, decorating and rearranging the gym for the dance.
C. We all did our parts in cleaning, decorating, and rearranging the gym for the dance.
5.
A. The holiday season usually provides a casual relaxing setting for the family.
B. The holiday season usually provides a casual, relaxing setting for the family.
C. The holiday season usually provides a casual, relaxing, setting for the family.
6.
A. The new manager has improved morale, increased profits, and reduced overhead.
B. The new manager has, improved morale, increased profits, and reduced overhead.
C. The new manager has improved morale, increased profits and reduced overhead.
7.
A. The damage caused by the tornado in Edmonton Alberta was unbelievable.
B. The damage caused by the tornado in Edmonton, Alberta was unbelievable.
C. The damage caused by the tornado in Edmonton, Alberta, was unbelievable.
8.
A. Send this parcel to 123 Oak Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S7M 4J4, when you have
time.
B. Send this parcel to 123 Oak Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S7M 4J4 when you have
time.
C. Send this parcel to 123 Oak Street, Regina, Saskatchewan S7M 4J4, when you have
time.
9.
A. The new corporate address is 456 Beacon Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick E9W
7M3, effective July 10, in 1998.
B. The new corporate address is 456 Beacon Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E9W
7M3 effective July 10 in 1998.
C. The new corporate address is 456 Beacon Road, Fredericton, New Brunswick E9W
7M3, effective July 10 in 1998.
10.
A. Send requests for tickets to Suite 16, Howe Building, in Scarborough.
B. Send requests for tickets to Suite 16, Howe Building in Scarborough.
C. Send requests for tickets to Suite 16 Howe Building in Scarborough.
Answers
1, A. 2, C. 3, B. 4, C. 5, B. 6, A. 7, C. 8, C. 9, C. 10, A.