When Comma Came To Town

TM
Commas
When Comma Came

to Town
BY J USTIN M C C ORY M ARTIN
We teach
Kindergarten and
Grades 1 and 2
and 3 and 4.
Let’s Review Commas
Commas can help separate ideas and clear up the meaning of

a sentence.
Commas are used to separate a list of items, adjectives, or phrases.

For instance: My favorite colors are blue, green, and red.
Grammar Tales: When Comma Came to Town © Scholastic Teaching Resources

Commas are also used to separate two parts of a sentence. This helps
make the meaning of the sentence clear. For instance: As Sue sat down
to eat, her dog took a bite. That sentence would be very confusing
without the comma!
You can also use commas to make one sentence out of two shorter
ones. For instance: My fish is red. His name is Ned. These ideas might
be joined with commas to become: Ned, my fish, is red.
Words like but and yet are often used with a comma to join sentences.
For instance: I like soccer. I don’t like baseball. The joined sentence
might read: I like soccer, but I don’t like baseball.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in

part or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
How can you tell when you should use a comma? Remember that a
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, comma is like a pause when someone is speaking. Try reading the
or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
For information regarding permission, write to sentence out loud. If a short pause makes sense, a comma probably
Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
will, too!
Written by Samantha Berger
Illustrated by Doug Jones
Designed by Jason Robinson
ISBN: 0-439-45822-6
Copyright © 2004 by Scholastic Inc.
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04
We teach
Kindergarten and
Grades 1 and 2
and 3 and 4.
Once upon a time, there was a place called And.

It had the longest sentences in all the land.
1
2
that is, until folks met the comma.
Every sentence was such a drama—
When you have a
list, you can put
commas between
each item instead of
the word and. The
sentence gets shorter
and sounds better!
As soon as Comma came to town,

he took their sentences and cut them down.
3
4
Before that, lists went on and on—
and conversations made folks yawn!
Your Turn:
On a separate sheet, shorten
this sentence by replacing
the ands with commas:
My favorite colors are blue
and green and red and yellow
and orange and purple and
pink and burnt sienna.
But with Comma around, it was easily seen,

you could take out the ands and put commas between.
5
Next, Comma showed what he could do

when perched beside an adjective or two.
6
Your Turn:
On a separate sheet,
shorten this sentence
by replacing the ands
with commas:
The kitten was small and
furry and mischievous
and playful.
With Comma’s help, their sign looked neater—

crisper and cleaner, shorter and sweeter!
7
As Sue sat down
to eat her dog
took a bite.
But there was more that Comma could do.

He cleaned up confusing sentences, too:
As Sue sat down to eat her dog took a bite!
8 Sue ATE her dog?! That couldn’t be right.
As Sue sat down
,
to eat her dog
took a bite.

Your Turn:
Where do you think
commas should go in
this sentence?
Just before bed he took
a bubble bath read a
book and drank
hot chocolate.
Do not panic. Do not fear!

One little comma makes it all clear:
As Sue sat down to eat, her dog took a bite.
He bit her burger? Now, that sounds right! 9
What’s more, just by adding some curly-cue dots—

Comma can join up two separate thoughts!
Instead of two sentences:
10 My fish is red. He is named Ned.
Can you combine
these two sentences?
Hint: You’ll need to
add two commas and
cut a few words.
My brother just had
a birthday. He is
named Theo.
There can be just one:

Ned, my fish, is red.
11
T h r e e ch e e r s
for Comma!
Rewrite this sentence with

commas in place of ands.
We went on the Stupendo
Slide and then we went on the
Gigantor Swings and then we
went on the Glow-Coaster!
Everything was easier to understand,

when Comma came to the land of And!
12
But then, one day, with a great big sigh,

it was time for Comma to say goodbye.
13
14
There were other places he needed to go,
Commas can often be found
in sentences that have the
words but, however, yet, and
although. See if you can figure
out where commas belong in
these sentences:
1. She loves soccer but not as
much as gymnastics.
2. I’m allergic to dogs however
I have two.
3. He tried and tried yet he just
couldn’t hula-hoop.
4. I don’t like broccoli although
I do prefer it to asparagus.
like But, However, Yet, and Although.
15
You see, those spots needed Comma’s help, too.

But he drove away to shouts of thank you!
16
Let’s Review Commas
Commas can help separate ideas and clear up the meaning of

a sentence.
Commas are used to separate a list of items, adjectives, or phrases.

For instance: My favorite colors are blue, green, and red.

Commas are also used to separate two parts of a sentence. This helps
make the meaning of the sentence clear. For instance: As Sue sat down
to eat, her dog took a bite. That sentence would be very confusing
without the comma!
You can also use commas to make one sentence out of two shorter
ones. For instance: My fish is red. His name is Ned. These ideas might
be joined with commas to become: Ned, my fish, is red.
Words like but and yet are often used with a comma to join sentences.
For instance: I like soccer. I don’t like baseball. The joined sentence
might read: I like soccer, but I don’t like baseball.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in

part or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
How can you tell when you should use a comma? Remember that a
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, comma is like a pause when someone is speaking. Try reading the
or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
For information regarding permission, write to sentence out loud. If a short pause makes sense, a comma probably
Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
will, too!
Written by Samantha Berger
Illustrated by Doug Jones
Designed by Jason Robinson
ISBN: 0-439-45822-6
Copyright © 2004 by Scholastic Inc.
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04

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When Comma Came

Commas can help separate ideas and clear up the meaning of

Commas are used to separate a list of items, adjectives, or phrases.

Grammar Tales: When Comma Came to Town © Scholastic Teaching Resources

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in

Copyright © 2004 by Scholastic Inc.

All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. Printed in the U.S.A.

Once upon a time, there was a place called And.

As soon as Comma came to town,

But with Comma around, it was easily seen,

Next, Comma showed what he could do

With Comma’s help, their sign looked neater—

But there was more that Comma could do.

Grammar Tales: When Comma Came to Town © Scholastic Teaching Resources

Do not panic. Do not fear!

What’s more, just by adding some curly-cue dots—

There can be just one:

Rewrite this sentence with

Everything was easier to understand,

But then, one day, with a great big sigh,

like But, However, Yet, and Although.

You see, those spots needed Comma’s help, too.

Commas can help separate ideas and clear up the meaning of

Commas are used to separate a list of items, adjectives, or phrases.

Grammar Tales: When Comma Came to Town © Scholastic Teaching Resources

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in

Copyright © 2004 by Scholastic Inc.

All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. Printed in the U.S.A.

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