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Use Commas to separate three or more items in a series.

Use Commas to separate three or more items in a series. Readers see the commas between items in a series (words, phrases, or clauses) and realize “this is a list.” If you said the sentence aloud, you would pause the items; when writing, you use commas to separate them.

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Use Commas to separate three or more items in a series.

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  1. Use Commas to separate three or more items in a series. • Readers see the commas between items in a series (words, phrases, or clauses) and realize “this is a list.” • If you said the sentence aloud, you would pause the items; when writing, you use commas to separate them. Ex: Searching through the drawer, the detective found a key, a stamp, three coins, and a photograph.

  2. Use commas to separate certain (coordinate) adjectives. • Adjectives are coordinate when their order can be reversed and the word and can be inserted between them without any change in the meaning. Ex: Buyers like to deal with energetic, efficient, and polite salespeople. • Do not, however, put a comma between the final adjective of a series and the noun it modifies. Ex: Energetic, efficient, and polite salespeople are in demand. • Note that no comma is necessary to separate adjectives that are cumulative, modifying the whole noun phrase that follows. Ex: Entering the little old stone house brought back memories of her childhood.

  3. Use a comma between a direct quotation and the preceding or following clause. • The independent clause may come either before or after the quotation. Ex: When asked what she wanted to be later in life, she replied, “An Olympic swimmer.” Ex: “I want to be an Olympic swimmer,” she announced. [The comma is inside the quotations marks.] • However, omit the comma if the quotation is a question or exclamation. Ex: “Do you want to be an Olympic swimmer?” she asked. • In addition, do not insert a comma before a quotation that is integrated into your sentence. Ex: The advertisers are promoting “a healthier lifestyle”

  4. Special uses of commas. • To prevent misreading: Use a comma to separate elements in a sentence that may otherwise be confusing. Ex: He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches. • With an absolute phrase: Use a comma to set off a phrase that modifies the whole sentence Ex: [The audience looking on in amusement], the valedictorian blew kisses to all her favorite instructors. • With a date: Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date Ex: On May 14, 1998, the legendary singer Frank Sinatra died. • With numbers: Use a comma (never a period) to divide numbers into thousands. Ex: 1,200 515,00 34,000,00 • With Titles: Use commas around a person’s title or degree when it follows the name. Ex: Stephen L. Carter, PhD, gave the commencement speech. • With Parts of an address. Ex: Alice Walker was born in Eatonton, Georgia, in 1944.

  5. Works Cited • Raimes, A., & Jerskey, M. (2011). Keys for Writers. Boston: Wadsworth.

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