Commas

Driving the open roads of the desert may seem long and boring...Fortunately, there are road signs to let you know the miles until your next destination... green signs along the side of the road give you hope that you will eventually reach your destination

Road signs are like commas in a sentence... they are a form of punctuation that breaks up long sentences into smaller chunks

Misplaced or missing commas are confusing for readers, and this makes writing difficult to comprehend

Myths vs reality

1. Myth Vs. Reality

• MYTH: Put a comma wherever you naturally pause when you are reading.
• REALITY: While this sounds like a good rule, we all read differently, so our pauses will never be identical in a given sentence.

2. Myth Vs. Reality

• MYTH: There is no rhyme or reason to where commas go, so I will never be able to understand them.
• REALITY: Commas can be tough to understand. However, there are basic rules to comma use. All you need is some time and practice with commas and you will use them like a pro.

3. Myth Vs. Reality

• MYTH: Academic writing is fancy, so every sentence should be long & there should be lots of commas
• REALITY: Not true. Academic writing should be simple and clear. Commas do not have to appear in every sentence.The use of commas depends on the sentence & what the writer is trying to accomplish in the sentence

FIVE MAJOR USES FOR COMMAS

1. Commas in a Series

• Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series.
• Do not put a comma before the first item on the list.

Examples

• Incorrect: Driving requires, good vision, a steady grip and gasoline for the car.
• Incorrect: Driving requires good vision, a steady grip and gasoline for the car.
• Correct: Driving requires good vision, a steady grip, and gasoline for the car.

2. Commas w/Introductory Words & Phrases

• Words like however, still, furthermore, and meanwhile create flow from one sentence to the next
• If an introductory word starts a sentence, it needs a comma after it
• Ex. “Furthermore, the researcher proved her argument through ample evidence." However, the facts of the case still need to be clarified.”

Example 1

• Incorrect: After correcting the essay’s issues she submitted her work to LoudCloud.
• Correct: After correcting the essay’s issues, she submitted her work to LoudCloud.

Example 2

• Incorrect: To stay in shape the women did Pilates and yoga.
• Correct: To stay in shape, the women did Pilates and yoga.

Example 3

• Incorrect: A respected leader the university’s president is intent on taking Grand Canyon University to new heights.
• Correct: A respected leader, the university’s president is intent on taking Grand Canyon University to new heights.

3. Commas w/Dependent & Independent Clauses

• Dependent clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought
• It cannot stand alone and depends on the rest of the sentence for context and meaning

Example 1

• Incorrect: When Jaime started studying for her exam she knew it was going to be tough to earn an A.
• Correct: When Jaime started studying for her exam, she knew it was going to be tough to earn an A.

Example 2

• Incorrect: Because her best friend lost her textbook Mary will struggle to pass her exam.
• Correct: Because her best friend lost her textbook, Mary will struggle to pass her exam.

No Comma

• When it comes after the independent clause

Example 1

• Incorrect: Jamie knew it was going to be tough to earn an ‘A,’ when she started studying for her exam.
• Correct: Jaime knew it was going to be tough to earn an ‘A’ when she started studying for her exam.

Example 2

• Incorrect: Mary will struggle to pass her exam, because her best friend lost her textbook.
• Correct: Mary will struggle to pass her exam because her best friend lost her textbook.

Common markers start dependent clauses

• after, although, as, because, even, since, though, unless, until, when, whether, and while

Independent Clauses

• are complete sentences and express a complete thoughts
• it can stand on its own

Conjunctions connect independent clauses

• includes words such as and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so.
• you can remember them as the FANBOYS

Example

• Two complete sentences: “My friends refuse to ride in his junky car” and “We are going to take our other friend’s car instead.”
• Combined using a conjunction: “My friends refuse to ride in his junky car, so we are going to take our other friend’s car instead.”

4. Commas with Sentence Interruptions

• Therefore… However… As a matter of fact… For instance…
• two ways to use commas to punctuate sentence interruptions like these
• Examples: “Therefore, the problem was resolved,” or “For example, planes, trains, and automobiles are the most common ways to get around this great nation.”

5. Commas with Direct Quotations

• Commas always go inside direct quotations, whether or not they are a part of the quotation

Incorrect

• Incorrect: Mary explained, “There are many important reasons to learn comma rules”, so she proceeded to learn the rules by heart.
• Incorrect: “Listen to the curfew rules”, the mother explained.

Correct

• Correct: “The U.S. government needs a system of checks and balances,” Senator Smith claimed.
• Correct: She stated that Dr. D. was “the best professor she has ever had,” and she gave him perfect scores on the end of course survey.

Use all primary commas...

• in a series
• with introductory words and phrases
• with dependent and independent clauses
• with sentence interruptions
• with direct quotations

References

• The Writer's Journey Chapter 10