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Commas & Comma Usage Problems. By: Gloie Alexander. types of commas. Listing commas are used in a list where it/they can be replaced by and or or . Example: Bob, Sally, Alex, and June are all out of town over the break.
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Commas & Comma Usage Problems By: Gloie Alexander
types of commas • Listing commas are used in a list where it/they can be replaced by and or or. • Example: Bob, Sally, Alex, and June are all out of town over the break. • Joining commas are used before and, or, but, yet or while followed by a complete sentence. • Example: We wish Halloween wasn’t on a school night, but we can’t change that. • Gapping commas show that words have been left out rather than being repeated. • Example: Anne is known for her smarts, Chris, for his humor.
Separating the Elements in a Series • Separating the elements in a series, with commas, includes the last two in the sentence. This means that commas are placed between three or more items, and one is placed between the word “and” and the word before it. • Example: Sally needed binders, pencils, notebooks, and pens for school.
Combining Two Independent Clauses • To combine two independent clauses, you have to insert a comma with a conjunction after it. (ex: and, but, yet, ect.) • Example: I wanted to go to the movies, but my parents wouldn’t let me go.
Setting off introductory elements • You can begin a sentence with a dependent clause, but it must have a comma after it in order for it to be grammatically correct. • Example: Pulling on her shoes, Sally raced out of the door.
Setting off parenthetical elements • A parenthetical phrase is a word or string of words that relate to the topic of the sentence, yet are not needed. Commas are required before and after a parenthetical expression within a sentence. • Examples: 1. Barbra, as far as I know, is at the dentist. • 2. Fluffy, Kate’s toy poodle, is at the vet today. • 3. Yes, I heard what you had to say.
Separating coordinating adjectives • When describing someone or something, you can use commas to separate coordinating adjectives. If the comma can be replaced with but or and, it’s being used correctly. • Example: He is a small, friendly, goofy dog. • Example: That is a luxurious, big, expensive hotel.
Setting of quoted elements • When quoting someone else’s information or someone’s words, you need to set it off with commas. (Conversation) Place one at the end of your own words, and at the end of the quotation. (INSIDE of the quotation marks!) • Example: The species of blue whales get rather large, “The full-grown adult male blue whale is about 100-120 Tons,” according to a specific website.
Setting off phrases that express contrast/ Using commas to avoid confusion with duplicate words • Set off phrases that express contrast with commas. • Example 1: Most are saying that math is harder, not science. • To avoid confusion with duplicate words, insert a comma. • Example 2: What your problem is, is not really an obstacle.
Typographical reasons • Use commas with ages, years with months and days, hometowns, names of states and nations with cities, and big numbers. • Ex. Barbra, 32, was a hairstylist for ten years. • Ex. I was born April 5, 1999. • Ex. We live in Franklin, TN. • Ex. There are 3,673 spiders in the haunted house.
