Comma Rules
1. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two.
a. He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base.
b. Sheila likes to go to the beach, amusement parks, and movies.
2. Use a comma + a conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses. (Use a comma with
a conjunction only when two complete sentences surround that conjunction.)
a. Arnold wants to go to college and wants to major in education.
b. He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base.
3. Use a comma to set off an introductory phrase. (Common starter words for introductory phrases that should be
followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.) If a preposition begins a sentence,
count the words in the phrase – four or more words = comma.
a. Next week the class will begin a new vocabulary unit. (no comma necessary)
b. When we dissect the frog, you will learn how the muscles work.
c. On the other hand, many students told me they don’t want to read aloud.
d. Because she admired his writing, Callie went to the book signing.
e. Receiving no word, the frantic mother went to the police to see if they had information about her son.
4. Use a comma with “which” but do not use a comma with “that.”
a. Andy made some macaroni that smelled like a gas station bathroom.
b. April apologized to her mother for being disrespectful, which many would consider a sign of maturity.
5. Appositives (re-naming a word that immediately proceeds or follows it) are treated as parenthetical elements.
a. The best exercise, walking briskly, is also the least expensive.
b. My favorite teacher, a fine chess player in her own right, has won several state-level tournaments.
6. Use a comma to set off an adverbial clause.
a. As the day drew to a smoky end, the firefighters put out the last of the embers.
b. Sarah, in order to do her homework, turned off the television.
c. Before I ate dinner, I washed my hands.
d. Benjamin, because he loved his girlfriend, decided to move to Chicago.
7. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements (part of the sentence that can be omitted without changing the meaning).
a. The Sox game, which began at 7pm, lasted three hours.
b. Eleanor, his wife of 30 years, suddenly decided to open her own business.
c. I can’t make it for lunch today, by the way.
8. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives. Do not use a comma between the last adjective and the noun.
a. That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow is my dad.
Do not use a comma to separate adjectives in a series if they sound unnatural with the order reversed or if using “and” instead
of a comma sounds unnatural.
b. The big old oak desk stood in one corner of the room.
9. Use a comma to set off quoted elements.
a. Janet said, “I have to babysit on Friday night.”
b. “Learning about commas is somewhat mind-numbing,” Eddie said.
10. Typographical and Other reasons:
a. Direct address – Carlos, I’m sure you’ll play well in tonight’s game.
b. Tag questions – You handed in your paper, didn’t you?
c. Antithetical expressions – Alaska, not Texas, is the largest state in the USA.
d. Between a city and state – Denver, Colorado
e. Between a date and a year – January 7, 1985
f. In long numbers – 5,435,762
Comma Abuse: Commas in the wrong places can break a sentence into illogical segments or confuse readers with
unnecessary and unexpected pauses.
11. Don't use a comma to separate the subject from the verb.
Incorrect: An eighteen-year-old in California, is now considered an adult.
Incorrect: The most important attribute of a ball player, is quick reflex actions.
12. Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.
Incorrect: We laid out our music and snacks, and began to study.
Incorrect: I turned the corner, and ran smack into a patrol car.
13. Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or object.
Incorrect (compound subject): The music teacher from my school, and the football coach from his are married.
Incorrect (compound object): Jeff told me the job was still available, and the manager wanted to interview me.
14. Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme
contrast).
Incorrect: She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken.
Incorrect: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.
Correct: She was still quite upset, although she had earned the highest grade on the test. (This comma use is correct
because it is an example of extreme contrast)
Understanding phrases in order to understand more comma rules:
Gerund: verb phrase that serves as a noun; ends in –ing
 Creating an essay is a difficult but rewarding process.
 Playing a game is a satisfying way to pass the time.
 Michael received a medal for fighting in the war.
Comma rule: no commas
Participle: a verb phrase that serves as an adjective; present participles end in -ing and past participles end in –ed, -en, -d, -t, or –n
(asked, eaten, saved, dealt, seen)
 Realizing his mistake, my father turned the car around in the right direction.
 Amber watched her pony prancing around the field.
 (Hint! In order to avoid confusion place participle as close to the noun as possible.)
Comma rules for participles:
 If it’s at the beginning, add a comma.
 If it’s in the middle, decide if it’s essential or not.
o Essential clause: People walking in the park at night need to be careful.
o Non-essential clause: Sally, having nothing better to do, worked in her garden.
 If it’s at the end of a sentence, you need to look for the word that the participle modifies. If it modifies an earlier word
in the sentence, you need a comma. If it directly follows the word it modifies, you don’t.
o Rachel noticed Julie looking off into the distance.
o John stopped her from speaking, worried about what she would say.
Infinitive: consists of the word “to” and verb (the verb will be in its original form, i.e.: write, not written) serves as a noun, adjective,
or adverb. [Careful! “To” can also be a preposition. You know it’s an infinitive when it’s paired with a verb; a prepositional phrase
has “to” plus a noun or pronoun.]
 Sarah has a gift to give to Rachel.
 Marsha wants to know more about Biology.
 To run the fastest, do not eat donuts for breakfast.
Comma rule: no punctuation needed unless the infinitive phrase is used at the beginning of the sentence.
Comma Abuses taken from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/, 9/28/10
Name_________________________________ Period_______
Comma Practice
Directions: Review the rules for comma usage, then write a sentence using the rule correctly. Be sure to print clearly!
If I cannot read it, you will not earn credit. (You may type this assignment if you feel you need more space or if you are
concerned about your handwriting; if you do so, be sure to label the rule you are practicing with each practice sentence.)
1. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things).
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2. Use a comma + a little conjunction to connect two independent clauses.
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3. Use a comma to set off introductory phrase.
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4. When a sentence begins with an adverbial clause, put a comma after the phrase.
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5. Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
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6. Use commas with appositives.
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7. Use a comma with “which.”
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8. Do not use a comma with “that.”
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9. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
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10. Do not use commas with a gerund.
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11. Use a comma with a participle phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
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12. Use commas with a non-essential participle phrase.
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13. Do not use commas with an essential participle phrase.
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14. Do not use commas with an infinitive phrase.
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15. Use a comma with an infinitive phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
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Directions: Review the rules for comma usage, then correct the paragraphs that follow. Add commas where needed,
and circle each comma you add. If a comma is incorrectly used, put an X through it and circle the X.
Although I enjoy teaching English I think I may have missed “my calling.” I have always wondered, if I should be
a circus performer. I could do lots of different things, like being a fire-eater training elephants or riding a motorcycle in
the “cage of death.” Unfortunately for me I think they would just ask me to be a clown and that would be a major
problem.
I have always been scared of those happy silly-looking paint-faced clowns. I have never understood why
anyone, thinks clowns are funny. I think they are terrifying. Clowns always try to be happy but really they just scare
children with their mocking faces and big floppy feet. Don’t even get me started, on those crazy bulbous noses which
make noise for some odd reason!
I think if I have to choose, between being a clown or teaching English I’m happy to keep teaching students about
the proper uses of commas!
KEY
- 16 corrections
Comma Practice
ORIGINAL Although I enjoy teaching English I think I may have missed “my calling.” I have always wondered, if
I should be a circus performer. I could do lots of different things, like being a fire-eater training elephants or riding a
motorcycle in the “cage of death.” Unfortunately for me I think they would just ask me to be a clown and that would be a
major problem.
I have always been scared of those happy silly-looking paint-faced clowns. I have never understood why
anyone, thinks clowns are funny. I think they are terrifying. Clowns always try to be happy but really they just scare
children with their mocking faces and big floppy feet. Don’t even get me started, on those crazy bulbous noses which
make noise for some odd reason!
I think if I have to choose, between being a clown or teaching English I’m happy to keep teaching students about
the proper uses of commas!
KEY Although I enjoy teaching English, I think I may have missed “my calling.” I have always wondered (X) if I
should be a circus performer. I could do lots of different things, like being a fire-eater, training elephants, or riding a
motorcycle in the “cage of death.” Unfortunately for me, I think they would just ask me to be a clown, and that would be
a major problem.
I have always been scared of those happy, silly-looking, paint-faced clowns. I have never understood why
anyone (X) thinks clowns are funny. I think they are terrifying. Clowns always try to be happy, but really they just scare
children with their mocking faces and big, floppy feet. Don’t even get me started (X) on those crazy, bulbous noses,
which make noise for some odd reason!
I think if I have to choose (X) between being a clown or teaching English, I’m happy to keep teaching students
about the proper uses of commas!