Skip to main content

The Comma Rules of Punctuation

Using the comma in a piece of writing is extremely confusing to most, most of the time. Also, it takes more rules than any other punctuation mark out there. The rules of using commas correctly in written discourse are as follows.

The Rules of Commas

1. The most important and widely used separate items in a list of entries. For instance:

Margaret, John, and Harry were present in the room when I reached.

There is a comma used before and, it is known as Oxford comma owing to its promotion British English style more than in the American. It is a punctuation used to avoid confusion, though many writers still go without it.

2. Parenthetical elements, which may or may not be part of the sentence, but describes some external attribute of the subject, take comma in it. For instance:

Johnny, who survived by chance, is still in comma.

3. Introductory phrases take comma afterward. Some of the introductory phrases begin with when, where, etc., use commas after them.

When Johnny had the accident, Mary was not there.

However, smaller introductory pieces, giving room for no confusion may omit the comma altogether.

In the evening her parents arrived.

Commas are used with introductory adverbial elements when they seem to apply to the whole sentence rather than only the main verb.

Finally, Mary understood the cause of Johnny’s stress.

To avoid confusion in meanings, it is the best to proofread and decide where to include a comma. Example:

Inside the kennel was dirty. As opposed to:

Inside, the kennel was dirty.

Don’t forget the comma to be used in absolute and infinite phrases.

Walking by the church, Johnny saw his friend Tim. (Dangling Modifier)

To get a better view of him, Johnny squinted.


4. Some of the following typographical situations take commas. Use comma when we refer to a place name with either the country or state.

Johnny first saw Tim in Atlanta, Florida.

When she found Tim in Atlanta, Florida, Mary thought of Johnny.


Between date and year: July 4, 2008.

In long sums: 150,312,422 exercised voting rights this year.

In names followed by titles: Bill Redman, attorney general.

Elements like etc., e.g., i.e., titles like Jr., take a comma when they do not end the sentence.

5. As if in a list, compound adjectives take a comma in between.

Johnny is a handsome, understanding, helpful young man.

Simpler adjectives in a series like this can go without comma.

Mary is an old fair woman.

6. Quoted elements have to be set off with commas.

Johnny told Mary, “I saw Tim back in Florida. He is a lot changed now.” Please note two commas here:

“I wonder,” Mary said, “what might have happened to your friend.”


When quotes are presented with that, this rule is forgotten. Also, simple quotes don't need comma.

Tim’s statement that “I found your mother last week” made Johnny confused.

Mary said “thanks” when Tim helped her.


7. Independent clauses split by and, but, or, etc., take a comma in between. For more information on this, please check out the rules for using semicolon, and comma splices and run-on sentences.

Johnny found Tim in the street, and Tim was very tired and inelegant.

8. Contrasting arguments take comma before.

Johnny tried to tell Tim that his mother was in Colorado, not in Atlanta.

Conclusion

Always make sure you proofread and edit your composition for errors. Commas are extremely hard to use correctly, and they are at the same time very valuable. Use them mostly to help prevent the confusion; a skilled writer doesn’t overuse commas.

Copyright © Lenin Nair 2008

Comments

  1. Another factor often overlooked when laying down the rules for commage usage is it's not always easy to see where a sentence ends. Hence the comma splice. For grammarians this may be easy, but for the rest of us it is not.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have a question about Oxford comma construction -- I can understand following this policy throughout your content (such as a website), but doubt that it would be appropriate in a title, such as a company's group name (Textiles, Apparel & Footwear). Especially as the title includes an ampersand...can anyone advise on this?

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Anonymous: In such situations, you should NOT use comma. I think I mentioned it in a different post somewhere. Company names should be written as you mentioned: Lock, Lambert & Co. etc. But is "Textiles, Apparel & Footware" a company name? No. So, it should be "Textiles, Apparel, and Footware".

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated very strictly

Popular posts from this blog

Power of Short Sentences

Post dedicated to Thomas Hardy (see History Today below). There are monster sentences like the one you encounter as the first paragraph of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens . One of my friends, whom I am getting equipped for his IELTS ( what is this? ), told me that the examination recommends long sentences. In writing classes also, I guess it’s longer sentences most tutors promote. But indubitably shorter sentences are more powerful . We will see why. Take a long sentence for instance: Tom Cruise, one of the finest actors in the whole world, is perhaps the most powerful celebrity to exist ever according to Time Magazine, but many people still dispute this fact and point out that there are more powerful and popular actors than Cruise, though they were unsuccessful in providing the total number of fans, who liked the films of those actors. This is a long sentence and it is very confusing . Though it has a logical construction and conveys a meaning, it falters in many occasions and seems

Creative Writing: Crafting Characters With Emotional Appeal in Mind

When you read the greatest fiction works ever, have you ever asked what was so compelling about them that you not only kept reading it, but you ended up reading all other major works of the writer? It may well be because the writer touched your emotional quotient quite a bit. Every reader has a unique taste . Some like to read suspense thrillers , some tender love stories, and some others dark horror and bloodshed stories . That’s why there are all sorts of genres out there. When a writer gives you what exactly you want, you will keep reading. Here we come to the emotional appeal. Character Imperfection Perfect characters may not always be the upshot of a writer’s deliberation. It may well be due to ignorance . Usually the upcoming writers take it for granted that if they create perfect characters, they will be able to garner a bigger audience . It is not true. You have to ask yourself what a character would do in a particular situation. Perfect characters—perfect gunmen, perfect

Another Tiny List of Confusables

Earlier, you may remember we published a list of confusable words . Here we are again, with such a list of words. Abjure/Adjure: Abjure means "to formally renounce (give up) something" such as a position. Adjure on the other hand means 'to appeal to' or 'solemnly order'. The governor decided to abjure his position due to political pressure. Normally, adjuring to the subordinates doesn't give many results. Amount/Number: Use amount when you have uncountable subject. Use number when it is countable. The amount of love one gets depends on the number of friends one has. Appraise/Apprise: Appraise is the word applied to quantitative evaluation of something. Apprise means 'communicate' or 'inform'. Appraising diamonds is the work of an expert. Joe apprised me of the schedule of events. Attorney/Lawyer/Solicitor: These terms are highly misinterpreted and confused by many people. Let me clarify. In the US, an attorney is any member