Are There Commas Around Again in the Middle of Sentence?
See if you can figure out the following riddle: When you really need one, they're nowhere to be plant, but they pop upward when they're not needed or wanted all the time.
No, it'due south non the in-laws. The answer is commas! (The championship gave it away; there's no need to insult your mother-in-law.)
Commas tin be a picayune mischievous, information technology'due south true. Because commas have many different uses, and those uses can differ from way guide to mode guide, comma rules can exist difficult to pin downward. With the conventional (and misguided) advice that 1 should add a comma wherever the reader should interruption, it's non your error that your writing is totally riddled with them.
Information technology's not your fault, but it's still wrong. Don't worry! We're here to help. Whether you have a specific question about comma usage or yous're staring at a page littered with those pesky things and feeling slightly overwhelmed, our list of comma rules will take you writing and editing like a pro in no time at all.
i. Use a comma to divide items in a list (simply beware of the serial comma).
The English linguistic communication uses a comma to separate three or more items in a series. Expect at the post-obit case.
That girl is obsessed with commas, semicolons, and em dashes.
Easy, right? But hold it! Before you go throwing in commas all willy-nilly, you first accept to make up one's mind what flavor of English you lot're using. No, cookie dough is not a valid answer (but it is probably a good respond). Take a look at the case again.
See that comma before "and," the conjunction? That's called a serial comma, which separates the concluding ii items in a list. You have to decide on a flavor of English language (that isn't cookie dough), considering each flavor has a dissimilar ruling on the employ of the serial comma.
For example, while U.S. and Canadian English often favor the use of a series comma, U.Chiliad. and Australian English practice not. Please note that we will be post-obit mutual U.S. rules for this commodity, so always consult your preferred or required style guide.
2. Use a comma to join independent clauses.
An independent clause is a group of words that tin stand up alone as a sentence. When two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, andyet), a comma precedes the analogous conjunction.
Take a look at the two contained clauses below.
I really like using commas.
I really similar using proper grammar.
When we bring together those, nosotros apply a comma and a coordinating conjunction. See?
I really like using commas, and I actually similar using proper grammar.
Piece of cake peasy!
three. Apply a comma to join a dependent clause and an contained clause.
Equally the name implies, a dependent clause depends on another clause to class a complete sentence. Don't get carried away with your commas hither. If a dependent clause follows an independent clause, no comma is needed! None! Put it away!
Delight go out the bar if you're going to employ improper grammer.
However, a comma is needed when a sentence begins with a dependent clause, equally is shown in the post-obit instance.
If yous're going to utilize improper grammar, please leave the bar.
The bartender in this instance has cut you off because you've had besides many comma errors.
4. Employ a comma following an introductory word group.
Some sentences open with a discussion or group of words in order to provide more data. A comma follows this introductory word or group of words and explains to the reader that the main office of the judgement is about to begin. Get ready, reader! Here comes a comma!
When I meet too many commas, I turn into an enormous green rage-monster.
5. Use a comma to interrupt a sentence or to provide additional information.
Any phrase that interrupts a sentence and is non grammatically tied to the sentence should be set up off by commas. For example, in the case of a nonrestrictive clause, which provides information that is not essential to the sentence's meaning, commas should be included. This is when you can throw commas left and right and it'due south perfectly acceptable.
That human being I told y'all nearly, who used too many commas, was arrested by the grammar police.
6. Use a comma with direct quotations.
Whenever a direct quotation is used, yous should find commas. Have at information technology, comma-obsessed friends!
"I wouldn't want to mess with that editor," said one reader to some other.
Whether the comma goes inside or outside of the quotation marks depends entirely on what flavor of English you lot've chosen. (In the U.S. and Canada, the comma tends to come before the closing quotation marker, while the Brits place the comma after the endmost quotation mark.)
7. Use a comma with coordinate adjectives.
Here is the one and just fourth dimension you should split adjectives with a comma: if two adjectives independently modify a noun, a comma must be placed between those two adjectives. Y'all should ask yourself two questions to identify coordinate adjectives before y'all become tossing in commas:
- Does the sentence make sense if you insertandbetween the adjectives?
Commas are a fun and exciting type of punctuation.
- Does the sentence still make sense if yous rearrange the adjectives?
Commas are an exciting and fun type of punctuation.
Since the sentence passes both of these tests, comma away, friend!
Commas are a fun, exciting type of punctuation.
eight. Apply commas with dates and addresses.
A comma separates the month and day from the year.
There have been no misplaced commas since April 23, 4034.
However, if the date is written in the inverted style or if only the calendar month and yr are given, no comma is needed. Take heed!
There take been no misplaced commas since 23 Apr 4034.
Again, correct engagement annotation and the correct format of addresses will differ depending on your flavour of English. In the U.South., the street address, city, and state are separated by commas.
nine. Apply a comma with titles.
We'll allow you some more commas. If a title follows a name, a pair of commas separates it from the residuum of the sentence.
Don Blathers, a comma misuser, will rue the day he included that comma.
10. Use a comma with numbers.
In numbers longer than iv digits, commas separate the numbers into groups of three, starting from the right side.
20,000 (correctly placed comma)
99,000,00 (incorrectly placed commas)
11. Use a comma when a conjunctive adverb begins, interrupts, or concludes a judgement.
This i's for the semicolon abusers: if a conjunctive adverb is used to begin, interrupt, or conclude a judgement, a comma—non a semicolon—must come before and/or after the adverb (depending on whether it is at the get-go, middle, or stop). Look at the examples.
The company is having serious trouble managing all of these misplaced commas.Further, nosotros can't seem to stop them from rolling in.
She had ever wanted to use a comma correctly; considering of her obsession,though, she hadn't even so figured out how.
He knew that the commas were coming. He never thought that his life was in jeopardy,even so.
The conjunctive adverbs are further, though, and still, respectively.
12. Utilize a comma with appositive adjectives.
Here's another free pass. An appositive adjective is an describing word that emphasizes the description of a noun or pronoun, and it is placed after the noun/pronoun. You guessed it: information technology'southward set off by commas.
The commas, correctly placed and happy, finally plant their dwelling house.
Appositive adjectives are more often than not used for aesthetic purposes in fiction or casual writing. Comma-obsessed writers and editors should spotter for these constructions. Appositive adjectives should be used sparingly in academic or more formal writing because they slow the reader's pace.
Conclusion
Although we often hear about run-on sentences and people who fail commas, it's besides entirely possible to use far too many commas. Luckily, at that place'due south a perfect and grammatically correct style to include commas in whatever piece of writing. Using our list of comma rules, information technology's time to say cheerio to your unnecessary commas. Don't let the door hit y'all on the way out! (Not you lot, mother-in-constabulary! I'd never say that to y'all . . . out loud.)
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Source: https://www.scribendi.com/academy/articles/comma_rules_for_the_comma_obsessed.en.html
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