Love the Comma

Senior English

Complete Sentence

• Has a SUBJECT• Has a VERB

Fragment• Missing a SUBJECT or • Missing a VERB

Run On• Too many subjects or• Too many verbs or• Incorrect use of commas, semicolons, or colons

A Comma Splice• Using a COMMA to join two complete sentences:–Example: Mary had a little lamb, it’s fleece was white as snow.Boo! Hiss!

The Myth• Put a comma where you take a breath…–UM, NOOOOO, What if you have Asthma????

–What if you are Icelandic?

The Facts• 4 Reasons to use COMMAS (not including dates, addresses, numbers)

–FANBOYS–Intro/Exits–Special Information–Lists

FANBOYS• For• And (**)• Nor• Or• But

• Yet• SO

FANBOYS• FANBOYS connects two INDEPENDENT CLAUSES–We call them sentences…–EX: Mary had a little lamb, and her fleece was white as snow.

Introductory Clauses

• We call them phrases!–EX: Although she preferred cats, Mary had a little lamb, and her fleece was white as snow.

Exit Clauses• We call them phrases!

–EX: Mary had a little lamb, and her fleece was white as snow, as well.

Flava!• More detailed information in the middle of a sentence…–Still a phrase…–EX: Mary, my little sister, had a little lamb, and her fleece was white as snow.

Lists, Lists, Lists• Use commas for lists!

– Some professors use this format: Mary had a little lamb, a cow, and a cheetah.

– Some use this format: …lamb, a cow and a cheetah.

Much Ado about AND

• AND can be a tricky little word–Sometimes it connects and sometimes it doesn’t!

–EX: Mary had a little lamb and a cat named Dexter.

The Mighty Semicolon

• AND can be replaced by a semicolon if it connects two LIKE ideas!–EX: Mary had a little lamb; it’s fleece was white as snow.

Ready to Work????• Get ready to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, and LOVE the COMMA!!!!