Commas

Comma Practice (8 Basic Uses)

1. He walked down the street, and then he turned the corner.

2. You can go shopping with me, or you can go to a movie alone.

​Examples

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, yet, so, or nor, for) when it joins two complete ideas (independent clauses).

​Rule

1. USE A COMMA TO SEPARATE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES.

Drag and Drop

While I was ​

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the cat scratched at the door.

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eating

eating,

Drag and Drop

The game was over​

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the crowd refused to leave.

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but

, but

Drag and Drop

I did my work​

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didn't turn it in.

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but

, but

Drag and Drop

He left the scene of the accident ​

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tried to forget that it had happened.

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, and

and

Drag and Drop

Yesterday was her brother's birthday​

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she took him out to dinner.

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so

, so

1. When Evan was ready to iron, his cat tripped on the cord.

2. Near a small stream at the bottom of the canyon, park rangers discovered a gold mine.

​Examples

A comma tells readers that the

introductory clause or phrase has come to a close and that the main part of the sentence is about to begin.

​Rule

2. USE A COMMA AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE OR PHRASE.

Drag and Drop

Yesterday was her brother's birthday​

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she took him out to dinner.

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so

, so

Drag and Drop

You ought to see a ​

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if you are ill.

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doctor,

doctor

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We'll shovel the ​

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when the snow stops falling.

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driveway,

driveway

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Having finished the ​

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he left the room.

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test

test,

Drag and Drop

Because her alarm clock was ​

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she was late for class.

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broken

broken,

Drag and Drop

​

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perhaps he meant no harm.

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Well

Well,

1. We bought apples, peaches, and bananas today. (series of words)

​Examples

Use a comma to separate each item in a series; a series is a group of three or more items

having the same function and form in a sentence.

​Rule

3. USE A COMMA BETWEEN ALL ITEMS IN A SERIES.

3. The instructor looked through his briefcase, through his desk, and around the office for the lost grade book. (series of phrases)

2. Mary promised that she would be a good girl, that she would not bite her brother, and that she would not climb onto the television. (series of clauses)

​More Examples

3. USE A COMMA BETWEEN ALL ITEMS IN A SERIES. (Continued)

Multiple Choice

Is this correct?

Marty ate four pancakes, two bacon strips, and a bowl of grits.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Is this correct?

The closet contained worn clothes old shoes, and dirty hats.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Is this correct?

James draws from memory, illustrates comics and colors in coloring books.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Is this correct?

He reads everything: road maps, want ads, and cereal boxes.

• true

• false

1. Steven Strom, whose show you like, will host a party next week. (nonrestrictive)

​Examples

Use commas to enclose clauses not essential to the meaning of a sentence. These nonessential clauses are called nonrestrictive.

​Rule

4. USE COMMAS TO SET OFF NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES.

3. The gentleman who is standing by the fireplace is a well-known composer. (restrictive)

2. John, who spent the last three days fishing, is back on the job again. (nonrestrictive)

More Examples

4. USE COMMAS TO SET OFF NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES.

Multiple Choice

​ That Tuesday which happens to be my birthday, is the only day when I am available to meet.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The book that I borrowed from you is excellent.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

​The food, on the other hand is rather bland.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

He is dreaming that he can fly.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Students, who cheat, only harm themselves.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

My niece, wearing a yellow jumpsuit, is playing in the living room.

• True

• False

1. Alexander Pope, the Restoration poet, is famous for his monologues. (appositive)

2. The poet Pope is famous for his monologues. (no appositive)

​Examples

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames a nearby noun. Nonrestrictive appositives are set off with commas; restrictive appositives are not.

​Rule

5. USE A COMMA TO SET OFF APPOSITIVES. Appositives offer nonessential information.

Multiple Choice

My sister, the rocket scientist, wants to live on Mars.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

My friend the botanist grows poisonous plants.

• True

• False

1. I think, John, you’re wrong.

2. John, I think you’re wrong.

3. I think you’re wrong, John

​Examples

Direct address is indicated by the use of a comma or commas, depending upon its placement within the sentence.

​Rule

6. USE A COMMA TO INDICATE DIRECT ADDRESS.

Multiple Choice

Tobey, let's get some food.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

You know Madison I think you are right.

• True

• False

1. Mary said, “I dislike concerts because the music is too loud.”

2. “I dislike concerts,” proclaimed Mary, “because the music is too loud.”

​Examples

If the speaker in the conversation is identified, their name, noun, or pronoun used to refer to the and

the verb that refers to them are enclosed within commas.

​Rule

7. USE COMMAS TO SET OFF DIRECT QUOTATIONS.

Multiple Choice

Marcus grumbled "This place sucks."

• True

• False

The elements of an address or place name are separated by commas, except zip codes.

Ex: John Lennon was born in Liverpool, England, in 1940.

Rules for Addresses

In dates, the year is set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of commas. Ex: On December 12, 1890, orders were sent out for the arrest of Sitting Bull.

​Rules for Dates

8. USE COMMAS WITH DATES, ADDRESSES, TITLES, AND NUMBERS.

Multiple Choice

Juneteenth remembers the end of slavery because on June 19, 1865 the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom.

• True

• False

In numbers more than four digits long, use commas to separate the numbers into groups of three, starting from the right, four digits long, a comma is optional.

Rules for Numbers

f a title follows a name, separate the title from the rest of the sentence with a pair of commas.

Ex: Sandra Belinsky, MD, has been appointed to the board.

​Rules for Titles

8. USE COMMAS WITH DATES, ADDRESSES, TITLES, AND NUMBERS.

Multiple Choice

1000

• True

• False