comma use and abuse renn lugent ryan ritchie shane sprayberry brandi harrison
TRANSCRIPT
What is a Comma?
A valuable punctuation device that separates sentences to make them more manageable.
Use of Commas
To separate three or more elements in a series.
Example: Fred's dog-like-girlfriend is short, hairy, and drooling.
Use of Commas With conjunctions (the
“fanboys”: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to combine independent clauses into a sentence
Example: Joe woke up next to his girlfriend, but he did not recognize her after a long night.
Use of Commas
To set off an introductory phrase, clause or word.
Example: Fortunately, the opening pitch didn’t count.
Use of Commas To separate part of a
sentence that is not necessary or to add extra details.
Example: Eleanor, his wife of thirty years, was a severe pain in the neck.
Use of Commas
To separate coordinate adjectives, a series of modifiers describing the same noun.
Example: Joe has a tall, hairy, brown-haired girlfriend.
Use of Commas
To use as an opening for a quoted phrase.
Example: Carl says, “I like french-fried taters.”
Use of Commas
To express ideas that contradict each other
Example: Some say the world will end in fire, not ice.
Use of Commas Typographical Reasons
Between City and State (Newport News, VA)
Between a Date and a Year (June 29, 2007)
Between a title and a name when the title comes after the name (Rick Dollieslager, Professor of English)
In long numbers (19,278,340,192,372)
Abuse of Commas
Don’t split the subject from verb by unnecessary use of a comma.
Example: Studying for a test, is recommended to pass.
Abuse of Commas Don’t put a comma
between two compound verbs or compound verb phrases.
Example: I turned the corner, and ran smack into a patrol car.
Abuse of Commas Don’t put a comma
between two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound object.
Example: The music teacher from your high school, and the football coach from mine are married to each other.
Abuse of Commas Don’t put a comma after
the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it, which separates the verb from the complement (the completion of the thought).
Example: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.
Works Cited "Using Commas." OWL: Online Writing Lab. 2007.
Purdue University Writing Lab. 26 Jun 2007 <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html>.
Darling, Charles. "Rules for Comma Usage." Guide to Grammar and Writing. 2004. Capital Community Technical College Foundation. 28 Jun 2007 <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm>.