comma rule #1to comma or not to comma first do the and test: five and flashy and sports cars passed...

Comma Rule #1

Commas in a series

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Use a comma to set off the elements of a

series (three or more things), including the

last two.

My favorite uses of the Internet are sending e-mail, surfing the

Web, and using chat rooms.

You may have learned that this comma is not necessary.

Sometimes, however, the last two items in your series will

glom into one if you don’t use the so-called serial comma.

The English House of Commas

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

The English House of Commas

Rule #1

I like dogs cats and birds.

I like dogs, cats, and birds.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Oxford comma: Without it, meanings of

sentences can change completely

• Susan found herself in the Winnebago with her ex-boyfriend, an herbalist and a pet detective.

• Susan found herself in the Winnebago with her ex-boyfriend, an herbalist, and a pet detective.

• One comma makes the difference between an awkward road trip with two people and a potentially hilarious road trip with four people. Make sure you’re punctuating the story you want people to read.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Comma Rule #2: Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction

(and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so) to separate two independent

clauses.

I like to go shopping at the mall , and I like to eat at The

Cheesecake Factory while I’m there.

The English House of Commas Rule #2

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Comma Rule #2 Coordinating

Conjunctions

Formula

Sentence + comma FANBOY + sentence

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction

(and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so) to separate two

independent clauses.

The public seems eager for some kind of gun control

legislation, but congress is obviously too timid to do something

about it.

The English House of Commas

Rule #2

The public seems eager for some kind of gun control

legislation but too timid to do something about it.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

To comma or not to comma…

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

I ate the old stale bread.

I ate the old and stale bread.

I ate the old, stale bread.

Use a comma to separate adjectives

If you can

place and or

but between

the adjectives,

then a comma

is needed!

The English House of Commas

Rule #3

If you can

change the

order of the

adjectives and

it still makes

sense, then a

comma is

needed!

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

The English House of Commas Rule

#3

Coaches grew weary of running practices in the

drafty, dreary, dilapidated gymnasium.

Sometimes there are more than two

adjectives! These must be separated

with a comma if the AND test works

and the order of the words can be

switched up.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

To comma or not to comma

First Do the AND test:

Five and flashy and sports cars passed by.

If you are still unsure, mix up the order of the adjectives. If the sentence

loses meaning, then no comma is needed.

Five flashy sports cars passed by.

Five sports flashy cars passed by.

Sports flashy five cars passed by.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

To comma or not to comma

Michael’s faded ragged jeans were inappropriate

for the job interview.

Michael’s faded and ragged jeans were...

Michael’s ragged faded jeans…

Michael’s faded, ragged jeans were inappropriate

for the job interview.

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

The English House of Commas

Rule #4

• Put a comma after an introductory (dependent)

clause at the beginning of a sentence.

A phrase that has a subject and verb, but isn’t a sentence

because it begins with a hanging word

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Rule #4 cont…• Hanging words:

– Since

– Although

– Because

– Before

– After

– If

– When

– Etc.

Hint: cover up the

hanging word & it

should make sense

up to the comma

© C

apit

al C

om

munit

y C

oll

ege

Put a comma after an introductory (dependent)

clause at the beginning of a sentence.

Because they were anxious about the upcoming winter, settlers

began to bicker among themselves about supplies.

The English House of Commas

Rule #4

After they made it through the winter of 1944, nearly half the

settlers died of starvation or exposure.

After I left the school, I went home.