What Are The 8 Rules For Commas?

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What Are The 8 Rules For Commas?

What are the 8 rules for commas?

  • Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
  • Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
  • Use a comma between all items in a series.
  • Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
  • Use a comma to set off appositives.
  • Use a comma to indicate direct address.

When should a comma be used examples?

Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. Note: When the last comma in a series comes before and or or (after daughter-in-law in the above example), it is known as the Oxford comma.

What are the 7 rules of commas?

  • Commas (Eight Basic Uses) …
  • USE A COMMA TO SEPARATE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES. …
  • USE A COMMA AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE OR PHRASE. …
  • USE A COMMA BETWEEN ALL ITEMS IN A SERIES. …
  • USE COMMAS TO SET OFF NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES. …
  • USE A COMMA TO SET OFF APPOSITIVES. …
  • USE A COMMA TO INDICATE DIRECT ADDRESS.

What are 5 ways to use commas?

The five uses of the comma are: Separating the main elements of a sentence from each other. Setting off a parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence. Separating elements in a series.

What are the 3 comma rules?

Download or print a PDF of these rules which also include exercises.

  • Use a comma to separate independent clauses. …
  • Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase. …
  • Use a comma between all items in a series. …
  • Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses. …
  • Use a comma to set off appositives.

What are the 6 comma rules?

Six Comma Rules

  • Put a comma before for, and, not, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS), when they connect two. …
  • Put a comma after an introductory expression that doesn’t flow smoothly into the. …
  • Put a comma between items in a series. …
  • Put commas around an expression that interrupts the flow of the sentence (such as.

What are commas examples?

2. Examples of Comma Use

  • The pet store has cats, dogs, hamsters, fish, and turtles. Listing things.
  • I really wanted cereal this morning, but I didn’t have any milk. Connecting clauses.
  • Well, if you really want pancakes, I guess I can make them. Creating pauses.

What is the rule for commas before and?

There’s no single rule that applies to all situations. You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.

How do you teach commas?

Comma Usage

  1. Use commas to separate items in a series. …
  2. Use commas after introductory words or mild interjections. …
  3. Use commas to set off words of direct address. …
  4. Use commas to set off one or more words that interrupt the flow of a sentence.

How are commas used in everyday writing?

Commas are necessary before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) that separates two independent clauses. Commas are necessary after introductory words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. Commas are necessary to set off elements that interrupt or add information in a sentence.

What are the 4 types of commas?

There are four types of comma: the listing comma, the joining comma, the gapping comma and bracketing commas. A listing comma can always be replaced by the word and or or: Vanessa seems to live on eggs, pasta and aubergines.

Do we need comma before because?

Most of the time, you should not use a comma before because when it connects two clauses in a sentence. Because is a subordinating conjunction, which means that it connects a subordinate clause to an independent clause; good style dictates that there should be no comma between these two clauses.

How do you use commas UK?

There are three main purposes for commas:

  1. A comma helps to make meaning clear by separating words, phrases or clauses in a sentence.
  2. Commas are used to separate clauses, coordinate adjectives and items in a list.
  3. Commas are also used to introduce direct speech.

Do I put a comma after but?

Do You Need a Comma After But? If you’re wondering whether you need a comma after but, the answer is that you probably don’t. The only time you need a comma after but is when it is immediately followed by an interrupter.

What is a colon used for?

A colon is used to give emphasis, present dialogue, introduce lists or text, and clarify composition titles. Emphasis—Capitalize the first word after the colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. (She had one love: Western Michigan University.)

Does the comma go before or after however?

Use a semi-colon (;) before and a comma (,) after however when you are using it to write a compound sentence. If ‘however’ is used to begin a sentence, it must be followed by a comma, and what appears after the comma must be a complete sentence. However, there was no need to repeat the data entry.

How do you use commas in a list?

When making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The final two items in the list are usually separated by “and” or “or”, which should be preceeded by a comma. Amongst editors this final comma in a list is known as the “Oxford Comma”.

Can you use a comma in a simple sentence?

A simple sentence contains only one independent clause and no dependent clauses. … With a simple sentence, however, the general rule is to omit the comma. Rule: Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction if the sentence contains only one independent clause.

What is clause give an example?

A clause is a group of words that contain a subject (the noun or pronoun about which something is being said, usually the doer of the action) and a verb (a doing word). An example of a clause is: The fast, red squirrel darted up a tree. The subject of this clause is the fast, red squirrel and the verb is ‘darted’.

Are there commas before daily?

Adjectives modify nouns while adverbs modify verbs. (Ad-VERB, get it?) … In the second sentence, far is an adjective, but daily is now an adverb that is modifying the verb commutes, so there is no comma used.

How is the comma used incorrectly in the sentence above?

How is the comma used incorrectly in the sentence above? The comma attempts to separate a compound predicate. The comma attempts to set apart an essential element.

Can you use 2 commas in a sentence?

Last but not least, use a comma to separate three or more items. You can use two commas for three items, or if you’re like me you obsess over the Oxford Comma. That’s the little comma that can be arguable both necessary and unnecessary, and is after the last item listed in the series.

What is comma called?

Punctuation is the name for marks used in writing text. They are to help understanding and the correct reading. These are some common punctuation marks used in English: . is a period or full stop. , is a comma.

What does a comma look like?

The comma , is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. … It has the same shape as an apostrophe or single closing quotation mark (‘) in many typefaces, but it differs from them in being placed on the baseline of the text.

  • Use a comma to set off appositives. …
  • Use a comma to indicate direct address. …
  • Use commas to set off direct quotations.

    • What are the 8 rules for commas?

    What are the 8 rules for commas?

    • Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
    • Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
    • Use a comma between all items in a series.
    • Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
    • Use a comma to set off appositives.
    • Use a comma to indicate direct address.

    What are the 5 Rules of commas?

    Five Comma Rules

    • Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause. …
    • Use commas before and after a parenthetical phrase or clause. …
    • Use a comma to separate two independent clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor or, so, yet) …
    • Use a comma to separate items in a series.

    When should a comma be used in a sentence?

    Commas don’t just signify pauses in a sentence — precise rules govern when to use this punctuation mark. Commas are needed before coordinating conjunctions, after dependent clauses (when they precede independent clauses), and to set off appositives. The Oxford comma reduces ambiguity in lists.

    What are the 4 types of commas?

    There are four types of comma: the listing comma, the joining comma, the gapping comma and bracketing commas. A listing comma can always be replaced by the word and or or: Vanessa seems to live on eggs, pasta and aubergines.

    What are the 3 comma rules?

    Download or print a PDF of these rules which also include exercises.

    • Use a comma to separate independent clauses. …
    • Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase. …
    • Use a comma between all items in a series. …
    • Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses. …
    • Use a comma to set off appositives.

    What is an example of a comma sentence?

    Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. Note: When the last comma in a series comes before and or or (after daughter-in-law in the above example), it is known as the Oxford comma.

    How are commas used in everyday writing?

    Commas are necessary before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) that separates two independent clauses. Commas are necessary after introductory words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. Commas are necessary to set off elements that interrupt or add information in a sentence.

    Do we put comma after and?

    The simple truth is that you never need a comma after “and” because of the word “and” itself. … In other words, unless there is some other grammatical reason that a comma needs to appear at that point in the sentence, the word “and” shouldn’t be followed by one.

    Does the comma go before or after so?

    So is one of seven coordinating conjunctions represented by the mnemonic FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet,and so. When these coordinating conjunctions connect two independent clauses, the conjunction is always preceded by a comma. The grocery store was out of tomatoes, so I borrowed some from my neighbor.

    What are the 10 comma rules?

    10 Comma Rules

    • A comma comes before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) when both are independent clauses. …
    • A comma comes after an adverb clause only at the beginning of a sentence—not at the end. …
    • A comma comes after a conjunctive adverb that follows a semicolon. …
    • A comma coming after an introductory element.

    What are the 6 comma rules?

    Six Comma Rules

    • Put a comma before for, and, not, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS), when they connect two. …
    • Put a comma after an introductory expression that doesn’t flow smoothly into the. …
    • Put a comma between items in a series. …
    • Put commas around an expression that interrupts the flow of the sentence (such as.

    What are the 5 primary uses of a comma?

    Separating the main elements of a sentence from each other. Setting off a parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence. Separating elements in a series. Setting off dialogs or quotations.

    How do you teach commas?

    Comma Usage

    1. Use commas to separate items in a series. …
    2. Use commas after introductory words or mild interjections. …
    3. Use commas to set off words of direct address. …
    4. Use commas to set off one or more words that interrupt the flow of a sentence.

    When to use a comma before and in a list?

    A comma is used before an “and” only if it is used to separate two independent clauses, or if it is used as an Oxford comma to separate the last item in a list of three or more things.

    Why do you put a comma after a name?

    Commas around a name or title indicate that it is NOT essential to the meaning of a sentence – the sentence will make sense in context without it.

    How do you use commas in a list?

    When making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The final two items in the list are usually separated by “and” or “or”, which should be preceeded by a comma. Amongst editors this final comma in a list is known as the “Oxford Comma”.

    When to put a comma after thank you?

    If you are telling someone “thank you” directly, you always need a comma after “thank you.” This is the most common way of using the phrase, so in most cases you will want that comma. You should also put a comma or a period after “thank you” if it’s the last part of a letter or email before your name or signature.

    Can you use a comma in a simple sentence?

    A simple sentence contains only one independent clause and no dependent clauses. … With a simple sentence, however, the general rule is to omit the comma. Rule: Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction if the sentence contains only one independent clause.

    What does a comma in a sentence mean?

    • A comma is a punctuation mark that separates words, ideas, or. phrases within a sentence. It is also used to indicate a pause in a sentence.

    What is a comma and how is it used?

    A comma marks a slight break between different parts of a sentence. Used properly, commas make the meaning of sentences clear by grouping and separating words, phrases, and clauses.

    How is the comma used incorrectly in the sentence above?

    How is the comma used incorrectly in the sentence above? The comma attempts to separate a compound predicate. The comma attempts to set apart an essential element.

    How do you use two commas in a sentence?

    Use two commas to set off an appositive or an aside in the midst of a sentence. An appositive is a word or phrase that describes a noun it follows. An aside tells us something about the noun, but is not essential to defining the noun.

    What is a comma used for in writing?

    Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun.

    What words do you put a comma after?

    Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class. If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor.