Salem High School

Ray W. Moore

Use a comma and a coordinate conjunction to form a compound

sentence.

Suzy walked to school but it was not far.

Use a comma after a long introductory phrase.

Without a thought for his own safety Nathan rescued the dog.

Use a comma after an introductory dependent

clause.

Although Alan followed the instructionshe still could not fixhis computer.

Use commas between items in a series.

Scott bought burgers chips and a drink at the game.

Although the comma before the conjunction is usually optional, it must be present if the items contain more

than one word.

Scott bought a burger with onions Cool Ranch Doritos and a cherry slurpy.

Use a comma between

coordinate adjectives.

Sally rested her arm on the thin green leather book as she thought.

Do not use commas in front

of a common usage.

The agile speedy baseball player scooped up the grounder to short.

Use commas to set off nouns of direct address.

I told you Jack that I am faster than you.

Use commas to set off

parenthetical elements.

Sally of course was able to start the computer herself.

Use commas to set off a non-restrictive appositive.

Mr. Ingerson our

world history teacher

often must act as an

umpire in

departmental

meetings.

Do not use commas to set off a restrictive appositive.

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird

was the only book ever

published by author Harper

Lee.

Use commas to set off a non-restrictive adjective clause.

To Kill a Mockingbird which

was written by Harper Lee is

the only book she ever

published.

Do not use commas to set off a restrictive adjective clause.

The man who is

juggling is my

brother.

Use commas with dates.

Jeremy left for

Nags Head on

August 28 2000

for one last

weekend at the

beach.

Use commas with addresses.

Majid’s family lived

at 563 Linden Avenue

Chicago Illinois 62931

when he was born.