COMMAS
________________________________________________________________________
The Writing Center of Vanguard Unversity
Use commas to separate items in a series or grammatical elements with parallel
structure.
Example: The young woman purchased bread, wine, fish, and salt.
Example: To purchase her items, the young woman traveled over a bridge, through a desert,
and across the plains.
Example: The fresh bread was at the bakery, the red wine was at the winery, the fish was at
the open market, and the salt was at the corner grocery.
Use a comma before a conjunction which separates two clauses.
Example: "You shall grieve, but your grief will turn to joy" (John 16:20b).
Example: "Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete" (John 16:24b).
Use a comma to separate a transitional expression* from the rest of the clause.
Example: Standing up for God under persecution is, indeed, difficult at times.
Example: We will not, however, extinguish power of the Holy Spirit.
*Common transitional expressions:
illustration: for example, for instance, to illustrate
addition: too, also, furthermore, similarly, moreover
emphasis: indeed, in fact, most important, above all
restatement: that is, to sum up
summary: in short, to sum up
logical result: therefore, consequently, so, as a result, thus, hence
counterpoint: however, on the contrary, nevertheless
concession: it is true, granted, admittedly, to be sure
alternatives: on the one hand, on the other hand
Use a comma to set off an introductory adverbial clause.
Example: Although Elijah was an ordinary person just like us, when he prayed
earnestly that it would not rain, no rain fell on the land for three and a half years. (Two
introductory adverbial clauses in this one!)
Example: When Elijah prayed again, the rain fell.
Use a comma to set off a verbal or verbal phrase preceding a main clause.
Example: Looking ecstatic, the healed lepers leaped up to praise God. (verbal phrase =
participle)
Example: To prepare oneself for prayer, one should confess one's sins. (verbal phrase =
infinitive)
Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives, but NO commas when the word
"and" CANNOT replace the comma and yield a phrase which still makes sense.
Example: the clean, smooth surface
Example: the cold, refreshing drink
Example: the new washing machine (The new and washing machine wouldn’t make sense,
so no commas are necessary. They are cumulative adjectives.)
Example: the rich chocolate pecan cookie (We would not say, “the rich and chocolate and
pecan cookie,” so no commas are necessary.)
Use a comma to separate the various parts of dates and addresses EXCEPT for the
state and zip code.
Example: Today's date is Wednesday, November 1, 2000.
Example: Vanguard University is located at 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California, where
God’s face shines daily.
Example: Please send the praise music to 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92626.
Use a pair of commas to set off a title following a name.
Benjamin Carson, M.D., is one of the world’s top pediatric neurosurgeons.
Use commas to set off nonrestrictive word groups which elaborate (Nonrestrictive
material simply elaborates. If the material were to be taken out of the sentence, then
the basic meaning of the sentence would not change much.)
Example (nonrestrictive): May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who
loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage
your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
Example (nonrestrictive): In San Juan Capistrano, where the swallows return each year,
freshly baked bread is especially bountiful.
Example (restrictive): Rough drafts which are written in pencil are sometimes difficult to
photocopy.
Example (restrictive): Your faith will increase if you keep on hearing the Word of God.
Now Try It Yourself. Add commas as necessary.
1. Jesus spent His time speaking to the outcast ministering to the poor and healing the sick.
2. Jesus however was especially stern with the religious teachers.
3. Yes God is real.
4. Benjamin Carson M.D. is a strong man of God with an awe-inspiring testimony.
5. He is one of the world’s top pediatric neurosurgeons and he is a man of God.
6. Some people receive God’s love with joy but other people have yet to embrace the cross.
7. This spiritual battle I think is going to need more prayer than I thought.
8. Jesus who is with us even as we speak is listening to our hearts.
9. Vanguard University’s previous names were Southern California Bible School Southern
California Bible College and Southern California College.
10. Heinrich Boll whose first novel The Silent Angel was rejected by German publishers
won the Nobel Prize in 1972.
Try It Again:
1.Which of the following is INCORRECT?
A. When the day of Pentecost came, the people were gathered together in one place.
B. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven.
C. The violent wind, which came from heaven, filled the whole house.
D. Tongues of fire, separated and came to rest on each of them.
E. As they separated, tongues of fire came to rest on each person.
2. Which of the following is INCORRECT?
A. The last day will come like a thief in the night; no one knows when a thief will come.
B. Arriving like a thief in the night, the last day will come without our prior knowledge.
C. The last day will come like a thief in the night, no one knows when a thief will come.
D. No one will know when the last day, which will arrive like a thief in the night, will come.
E. No one will know when the last day will come, for it will arrive like a thief in the night.
3. Which of the following contains an error in punctuation?
A. Because the woman believed as she touched Christ’s cloak, she was healed.
B. The woman believed as she touched Christ’s cloak; she was healed.
C. The woman believed as she touched Christ’s cloak; consequently she was healed.
D. The woman who believed as she touched Christ’s cloak was healed.
E. After touching Christ’s cloak, the woman who believed was healed.
4. Which of the following contains an error in punctuation?
A. I ate a piece of white, chocolate, mousse cake.
B. The child purchased buttons, pins, and sewing needles for his father, a tailor.
C. I could not taste the difference, however, between white chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
D. To go to school, the child walked up the road, turned the corner, and crossed the street.
E. The child’s father had packe a tasty lunch of sushi rolls containing crab, avocado, and
cucumbers.
5. Which sentence does NOT use the comma correctly?
A. The school is located at 123 Brick Street, Littleton, Vermont.
B. The child was at school, the father was at work, and the mother was in heaven.
C. In conclusion, when we prayed, the fire from Heaven fell.
D. Do not be afraid little, sheep.
E. We will not, furthermore, continue bickering.
6. Which sentence does NOT use the comma correctly?
A. She visited a friend on November 30, 2000.
B. Praying first thing in the morning, for instance, is a good way to start the day.
C. Brother Lawrence, prayed even while he washed pots and pans in the kitchen.
D. Well, I suppose a person should pray unceasingly.
E. Why not, I wondered?
7. In which sentence should the words in bold be set off by commas?
A. Poet Czeslaw Milosz is from Eastern Europe.
B. A former Poet Laureate is from the Bay Area.
C. Young writers who hope to soak in literary culture sometimes live in Berkeley,
California.
D. Kelsey St. Press a women’s press is located in the East Bay, across from San Francisco.
E. A publisher in New England is named for Henry James and William James’ sister, Alice
James.
8. In which sentence should the words in bold be set off by commas?
A. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
B.
C.
D.
E.
There are many different kinds of apples, such as Fuji apples and Granny Smith apples.
Granny Smith apples are good for baking apple pies partly because of their tart flavor.
Red Delicious apples are favored for their rich red hue.
Alice Waters a California cuisine cook has concocted creative recipes using apples.
9. In which sentence should a comma precede “but” or “and?”
A. Tongues of fire separated and came to rest on each person.
B. Tongues of fire appeared and separated before coming to rest on each person.
C. Tongues of fire separated and came to rest on each person.
D. Tongues of fire separated and tongues of fire came to rest on each person.
E. Separating, tongues of fire appeared and separated.
10. In which sentence should a comma precede “but” or “and?”
A. The pastor spoke gently but firmly about giving up the world.
B. One of the listeners slept as the preacher talked and talked.
C. At first the sleeping listener was perched on the window sill but fell from it to the street
below.
D. At first the passers-by thought he was dead but Paul revived the man with the power of
the Holy Spirit.
E. The man stood up and heartily thanked Paul.
Answers
1. Jesus spent His time speaking to the outcast, ministering to the poor, and healing the sick.
2. Jesus, however, was especially stern with the religious teachers.
3. Yes, God is real.
4. Benjamin Carson, M.D., is a strong man of God with an awe-inspiring testimony.
5. He is one of the world’s top pediatric neurosurgeons, and he is a man of God.
6. Some people receive God’s love with joy, but other people have yet to embrace the cross.
7. This spiritual battle, I think, is going to need more prayer than I thought.
8. Jesus, who is with us even as we speak, is listening to our hearts.
9. Vanguard University’s previous names were Southern California Bible School, Southern
California Bible College, and Southern California College.
10. Heinrich Boll, whose first novel The Silent Angel was rejected by German publishers,
won the Nobel Prize in 1972.
1. D
2. C (comma splice)
3. C (needs a comma after “consequently,” a transitional expression)
4. A (use commas to set off coordinate adjectives, but no commas when the word “and”
CANNOT replace the comma and yield a sentence that still makes sense)
5. D
6. C
7. D (nonrestrictive word group)
8. E (nonrestrictive word group)
9. D (comma before a conjunction separating two clauses)
10. D (comma before a conjunction separating two clauses)