SOCC WRITING CENTER

Comma Rules

Your friend, the comma, is misunderstood, abused, and often either worked to death or absolutely ignored! Many believe the comma to be the evil invention of mean English teachers who wield it like a weapon to punish and terrify students. Here is the TRUTH about the comma! Are you ready for it?

The comma has only a few simple rules about where it should be used.

1. First, use a comma before a coordinating conjunction to separate independent clauses. Independent clauses are complete thoughts (subject, verb, object or clarifying information). Coordinating conjunctions are the FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
   
   Example: Henry and Jack are going hunting this weekend, and they are taking Jack’s dad with them.

2. In addition, use commas between items in a series.
   
   Example: The new puppy ate my shoes, the couch cushions, his dog bed, and an antique coffee table.
   
3. After an introductory phrase or clause, use a comma unless the introductory element is short and unemphatic.
   
   Example: When I get back from the holidays, I will be ready for the new term.
   
   but On Wednesday my brother is arriving from Kalamazoo.
   
4. Use commas to set off nonessential phrases or clauses. These provide information that can be left out without changing the basis sense of the sentence.
   
   Example: Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive impairment of the brain, strikes many older Americans.
   
   Restrictive or essential elements of the sentence are not set off by commas, however.
   
   Example: Buyers who are considering purchasing this new product should do careful research first.
   
5. Use commas to set off (bracket) interrupting elements of many kinds.
   1. Conjunctive adverbs such as however, therefore, thus, on the other hand, in general, and in other words are set off by commas.
   Example: Access to health care, however, is limited to those who have adequate health insurance.
   2. Use commas with degrees and titles.
   Example: Belinia Bucket, MD, spoke to us about the dangers of spike heels on hiking boots.
   3. Use commas in place names and addresses.
   Example: The Cozy Roost Motel is located at 97866 SE Highway 1, Chicken Center, CA 98773.
   4. When writing a date as Americans usually do by month, day, and year, place a comma after the day.
   Example: He was born on April 23 1984, in Columbus, Ohio.
   
   Do not, however, use a comma if you omit the day or if you write the date in inverted order.
   
   Example: He was born in April 1984.
   Or He was born 23 April 1984.
   5. Use commas with markers of direct address that indicate you are talking directly to the reader as well as words such as yes or no, question tags such as don’t you agree?, or initiators Well or Oh.
   Examples: Do you think, Kevin, that the team will win tonight?
   
   Well, it’s easy enough for you to say!
   6. Use commas before question tags.
   Example: They are going, aren’t they?
   
6. Use commas with speaker tags when you quote someone.
   
   Examples: “It was a marvelous performance,” the Queen declared.
   Winston Churchill stated, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
   
7. Use commas in numbers to form three-digit groups (except in street numbers, zip codes, phone numbers, account numbers, model numbers, or years). The comma is optional in a number of four digits.
   
   Example: 2,400 or 2400
   27,392
   
8. Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives. These are adjectives in a series that could use and in which the order of listing is not important.
   
   Examples: She wore an itsy-bitsy, teenie- weenie, yellow polka dot bikini.
   They left behind a dirty, dented, rusted-out, broken-down car.

Contributed by Virginia MacCallum 2006