Chapter 14
Commas
10th Edition, © 2011, Cengage Learning
Basic Guidelines for Using
Commas
 Series
 Direct Address
 Parenthetical Expressions
 Dates
 Time Zones
 Addresses and Geographical Items
 Appositives
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 Series
Commas are used to separate three or
more equally ranked (coordinate)
elements (words, phrases, or short
clauses) in a series.
 A comma before the conjunction ensures
separation of the last two items.

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 Series
◦ Series of words: He submitted all production,
distribution, sales, and financial data.
◦ Series of phrases: Government is of the
people, by the people, and for the people.
◦ Series of clauses: Lee investigated hiring, Kelly
studied compensation, and Mark researched
benefits.

No commas are needed when conjunctions
are repeated.
◦ I typed and Mike collated and Lisa stapled.
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 Direct Address

Words and phrases of direct address are
set off by commas.
◦ We assure you, Ms. Ortiz, that your
bill will be corrected.
◦ Do you know, Dr. Martin, when the
results will be available?
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 Parenthetical
Expressions
Use commas to set off nonessential words,
phrases, and clauses.
 Examples of parentheticals:

as a matter of fact
by the way
for example
in addition
incidentally
in fact
in the meantime
needless to say
no doubt
of course
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 Parenthetical
Expressions
 By the way, have you made your
appointment yet? (At beginning of sentence)
 You did, no doubt, make payment with a
credit card. (In middle of sentence)
 We’ll need an answer immediately, needless
to say. (End of sentence)
 Exception
 We have no doubt that your plan will succeed.
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 Dates

When dates contain more than one element, the
second and following elements are normally set off
by commas.
◦ A sales record was set November 14 in Chicago. (No
comma needed for one element.)
◦ A sales record was set Wednesday, November 14, in
Chicago. (Two commas set off second element.)
◦ A sales record was set Wednesday, November 14, 2012, in
Chicago. (Commas set off second and third elements.)

In April 2011 we opened a second office. (Exception:
The comma is omitted in writing month and year
only.)
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 Time

Zones
Commas set off time zones used with
clock times.
◦ His flight left at 11:10 a.m., EST, and
arrived in Los Angeles at 1:50 p.m., PST.
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 Addresses

and Geographical Items
When addresses and geographical items contain
more than one element, the second and
following elements should be set off by commas.
◦ The letter from Jane Mangrum, Miami-Dade
Community College, Miami, Florida 33176, was
provocative.
◦ We received inquiries from San Antonio, Texas, and
Tampa, Florida.
◦ Last summer we traveled to Paris, France, and
London, England, for our honeymoon.
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 Appositives

An appositive that provides information not
essential to the identification of its antecedent
should be set off by commas.
◦ Douglas Dawson, the wireless customer
service rep, called. (The appositive adds
nonessential information; commas set it off.)
◦ The wireless customer service rep Douglas
Dawson called. (The appositive is needed to
identify which sales representative called; therefore,
no commas are used.)
◦ My brother Keith will visit in December. (One-word
appositives do not require commas.)
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Special Guidelines for Using
Commas
 Independent Adjectives
 Introductory Verbal Phrases
 Prepositional Phrases
 Independent Clauses
 Introductory Clauses
 Terminal Dependent Clauses
 Nonessential Clauses
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 Independent Adjectives

Two adjectives that equally modify a noun
should be separated by a comma.
◦ How many laborious, inefficient
procedures can we eliminate?
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 Introductory Verbal

Phrases
Verbal phrases that precede main clauses
should be followed by commas.
◦ Hoping to get a seat, James
arrived early.
◦ To complete the job, we must
work overtime.
◦ Shocked, we listened to the CEO’s
announcement.
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 Prepositional
Phrases
One or more introductory prepositional
phrases totaling four or more words should be
followed by a comma.
◦ For the past six months, e-mail
service has been erratic.
◦ In the spring of next year, we will try
a new system.
 Introductory prepositional phrases of three or
fewer words require no commas.

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 Prepositional
Phrases
 Examples:
◦ By next Monday you will receive your order.
◦ In 2013 the new tax will be repealed.
◦ In this case we will not intervene.
◦ On Friday I will place an order on your Web
site.
 Do
NOT use commas to set off internal
prepositional phrases that do not
interrupt the sentence.
◦ We do not at this time anticipate layoffs.
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 Independent

Clauses
When a coordinating conjunction joins
independent clauses, use a comma before the
conjunction—unless the clauses are short (up
to 13 words).
◦ The computer is an efficient tool of
management, but it does not eliminate the
need for managers.
◦ We have tried many times and we have failed.
(No comma)
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 Introductory

Clauses
Dependent clauses that precede
independent clauses are followed by
commas. [NOTE:This is probably the most
frequently missed comma in business writing.]
◦ When Mark was hired, his manager
outlined his duties.
◦ If Jennifer applies, we will surely hire
her.
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 Terminal
Dependent Clauses
Use a comma before a dependent clause at the
end of a sentence ONLY if the clause adds
nonessential information.
 Information is considered essential if it answers
questions such as When? Why? and How?

 We are usually open from 10 until 5,
although we can make special
arrangements if necessary. (Although
clause ads extra nonessential information.)
 His duties were outlined when he was
hired. (When clause adds essential information.)
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 Nonessential

Clauses
Use commas to set off clauses that are
used parenthetically or that supply
information unneeded for the grammatical
completeness of a sentence.
Melanie Lipman, who teaches in
California, submitted excellent
suggestions.
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Additional Guidelines for Using
Commas
 Degrees and Abbreviations
 Numerals
 Omitted Words
 Contrasting Statements
 Clarity
 Short Quotations
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 Degrees

and Abbreviations
Except for Jr., Sr., and Roman numerals, degrees,
personal titles, and professional designations
following individuals’ names are set off by
commas.
◦ Fritz Werner Jr. and Fritz Werner Sr. attended
Stafford Elahi III’s graduation.
◦ Paul William Murphey, PhD, is the keynote
speaker.
◦ Expert witness Todd James, MD, supported the
defense.
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 Degrees

and Abbreviations
The abbreviations Inc. and Ltd. are set
off by commas if the company’s legal name
includes the commas.
◦ Scandia, Inc., advertised this dining set.
◦ Lamps Ltd. is now located in the mall.
(Legal name does not include comma
before Ltd.)
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 Numerals

Unrelated figures appearing side by side should
be separated by commas .
◦ By 2014, 54 franchises will be in operation.

Numerals of more than three digits require
commas.
4,321

43,210
4,321,000
Calendar years, zip codes, and telephone, house,
decimal, page, serial, contract, account, and
identification numbers do not require commas.
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 Omitted Words

A comma is used to show the omission of
understood words.
◦ Some employees leave work at 5 p.m.;
others, at 5:30 p.m.
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 Contrasting

Statements
Commas are used to set off contrasting
or opposing expressions.
◦ Managers are made, not born.
◦ The greater the sales, the greater the
profits.
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 Clarity

Commas are used to separate words
repeated for emphasis and words that
may be misread if not separated.
◦ We had a long, long meeting to iron
out differences.
◦ In short, employees must be more
courteous.
◦ What it is, is hard work.
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 Degrees

and Abbreviations
A comma is used to separate a short
quotation from the rest of the sentence. If
the quotation is divided into two parts,
two commas are necessary.
◦ Mark Twain said, “We all have our
limitations in the matter of grammar.”
◦ “I have never seen a book,” he added,
“which had no grammatical defects in
it.”
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