COMMAS

by Emily Chhun, Kizzie Foster , Maria Terrazas

 IN GENERAL WHAT IS A
COMMA?
A natural pause, but more than a pause.
• Use after four or more introductory words.
Example: After flying on the airplane, she got sick.

•Use a comma before to indicate the beginning and one at the end to
indicate the end of the pause.
Example 1: That Friday, on the long airplane ride, she got sick.

Separation in lists or numbers.

Example 1: Be sure to pack the following items: shirts, pants, shirts, pajamas, and
toiletries.
 LISTING THREE ITEMS
OR MORE
Keep list content consistent when using commas.
 Words:
• Good example: I am interested in
becoming a pilot, engineer, or an • Bad example: I am interested
astronaut. in becoming a private pilot,
engineer, or an astronaut who
lands on Mars.
 Phrases:
• Good example: Becoming a private • Bad example: Becoming a
pilot will allow me to travel the private pilot will allow me to
world, learn about new cultures, and travel, learn about new
see new people. cultures, and see new people.
 LISTING THREE ITEMS
OR MORE
Keep list content consistent when using commas.

 Clauses:
• Good example: During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, 500 million
people worldwide watched the event, the president had a speech
ready in case of disaster, and the trip cost about $150 billion.
 LISTING THREE ITEMS
OR MORE
SEMICOLON EXCEPTIONS
When items in a series have internal commas.
Example: The top most visited places in the world include Paris, France;
Barcelona, Spain; and New York City, New York.

Linking independent clauses (no connecting words).

Example: Heavy rains caused turbulence scaring the passengers; assurance
came from the pilot who told the passengers they would be landing soon.
 CONJOINING
CONJUNCTIONS
Use a comma before conjoining conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or ,yet,
or so to separate clauses.
Good example:
*The space mission was over, but discovery had just begun.
Bad examples:
*The space mission was over but, discovery had just begun.
*In the ’60s the space mission brought nationalism to Americans, and brought a
halt to the space race. (Not two separate independent clauses.)
Additional words to use a comma before: when, while, since, yes, well, and,
however.
Good example: The space mission was over, however discovery had just begun.
 S E PA R A T I N G A D J E C T I V E S TO
MODIFY THE NOUN

 The adjectives ____ and ____modify the noun____.

Separate the adjectives with a comma.

Good example:

The new school policies imposed strict, unforgiving rules on dress code.

Bad example:

The new school policies imposed, rules on dress code.

CONFUSED?

 Sometimes using commas

in your writing is as easy as
using common sense. Abusing
the comma or not using it at
all can change the meaning !
USE THE COMMA!
 MONTH, DATE, AND YEAR
 Use a comma after day and year when the date is formatted as month, day, and year in a
sentence. Do not use ANY commas if only the month and year are given.

• Good example:
August 5, 1930, is when Neil Armstrong was born.
In July 2004 Neil Armstrong celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of the
Apollo 11 flight.
• Bad example:
On July 21, 2004 Neil Armstrong celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary
of the Apollo 11 flight.
In July, 2004, Neil Armstrong celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of the
Apollo 11 flight.
 COMMAS IN QUOTATIONS
 A comma is used in quotes to show a shift between the the
main dialogue and the actual quotation.
Good examples:
Edward Rickenbacker said with emotion, “Aviation is proof that we have the capacity
to achieve the impossible.”

“Any landing you can walk away from," she answered, “is a good one.”

“I wish I knew how to fly an airplane,” she explained. “Flying seems like more fun
than driving.

Ernest Hemingway said, “I wish I could write well enough to write about aircraft.”

-Always put commas inside the quotation marks.

-You can split up a quote as long as it is split in an appropriate place.
 LOCATION

 Zip code
• When writing an address, use commas to separate
EACH part of the address, including after the zip
code. NEVER put a comma between state and zip
code.
Good example:
I have lived at 315 Aviation Street, Seattle, WA 98188, for ten
years.
SUBJECT AND VERB/VERB
AND OBJECT
 A comma shouldn’t separate a subject from its verb.
• Good example:
As my old friend and I ate lunch in the court yard, we caught up and
exchanged the latest 411.

• Bad example:
I, had lunch with a old friend today.
 PARALLEL SUBORDINATE
ELEMENTS
 A subordinate conjunction usually provides a closer connection
between clauses.

• Good example: Because I’m sweating, I have a towel.

• Bad example: I’m sweating, so I have a towel.

NOTE: The construction of this sentence is correct; however, the content
doesn’t flow as well and doesn’t give the true meaning.
 EXPRESSION OF
CONTRAST

 Commas help separate ideas between contrast.

• Good example: I want a banana, not an apple.
• Bad example: I want a banana not, an apple.
 NONRESTRICTIVE VS .
RESTRICTIVE
 Restrictive relative clause are not set by commas. “That” is used for
restrictive clauses, but NOT for people!!!
• Good example:
• My uncle who lives in Seattle works for Boeing. (no commas because the “who”
clause is important to know which uncle is being referred to.
• The book that I love the most is Green Eggs and Ham.
 Nonrestrictive relative clause is set off by "which, who, whom,
whose,"
• Good example: Mr. McNerney, who is president of Boeing, will be giving a speech
tonight.
• Bad example: Mr. McNerney who, is president of Boeing will, be giving a speech
tonight.
SET OFF ALTERNATIVE OR
CONTRASTING PHRASES

 Use commas to change the topic within a sentence.

• Good example:
• It is the Dreamliner 747, not the Airbus A308, that is being
tested.
 Do not use a comma between subject and verb.
 ACTIVITY

How many commas should

each sentence have?
 SENTENCE #1

For my birthday I would like you

to purchase me a horse ranch and
hay.
 ANSWER…2

For my birthday, I would like you to

purchase me a horse, ranch, and hay.
 SENTENCE #2

I was going to make rice but I

noticed that there wasn’t any rice
left in the rice dispenser and it was
quiet upsetting.
 ANSWER…2

I was going to make rice, but I

noticed that there wasn’t any rice left
in the rice dispenser, and it was quiet
upsetting.
 SENTENCE #3

I hope the sun comes out later today!

 ANSWER…NONE!

I hope the sun comes out later today!

 SENTENCE #4
I didn't want our relationship to come to
this point but I don’t think things will work
out because of that hideous sweater you
bought me for Christmas and I don’t like
the smell of your cologne.
 ANSWER…3!
I didn't want our relationship to come
to this point, but I don’t think things
will work out because of that hideous
sweater you bought me for Christmas,
and honestly, I don’t like the smell of
your cologne.
 CITATIONS
MLA. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Vol. 7. New York: Modern Language
Association, 2009.

OWL Purdue, Commas. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/>.

Let's Eat Grandpa! Photograph. Surrender Dorothy. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.

<http://surrenderdorothy.typepad.com/surrender_dorothy/2010/03/lets-eat-grandpa.html>.

Let's Eat Grandpa! Photograph. Surrender Dorothy. Web. 24 Sept. 2011.

<http://surrenderdorothy.typepad.com/surrender_dorothy/2010/03/lets-eat-grandpa.html>.