Using commas in English: Some of the basics

Rule 1: Use a comma in lists.

Use commas in lists. You can use a comma at the end of the list before the word “and”, but you don’t have to. Some native speakers
do, others don’t, depending on where they are from.
A comma often – but not always – separates descriptive words (e.g. adjectives).
Examples
➢ Everything is ready for my trip. I have my camera, money, and airplane ticket. OR
Everything is ready for my trip. I have my camera, money and airplane ticket.
➢ These juicy, delicious apples cost a lot of money.
➢ She wore a pretty, green dress.
Exceptions
There is an exception when you have a sentence with several adjectives. Sometimes a comma is used to separate the adjectives,
sometimes not. Here are two tests that tell us when commas are needed.
1. If we can put the word AND between two adjectives and the sentence reads okay, insert a comma. If the word AND does
not make sense, no comma is needed.
2. If you can change the word order of the adjectives and the sentence reads okay, insert a comma. If the sentence looks bad,
no comma is needed.
• 1) A large black cat sat on a car. // A large AND black cat sat on a car. → not OK, so no comma between “large” and “black”
• 2) Three black large cats sat on a car. → not OK, because size-adjectives come before colour-adjectives
• 1) She is a kind, gentle, smart woman. // She is a kind AND gentle AND smart woman. → OK, so use commas
• 2) She is a gentle, intelligent, kind woman. → changed word order reads okay, so use commas

Rule 2: Put a comma in front of a FANBOYS joining two independent clauses.

FANBOYS are short words that join clauses: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
An independent clause is a phrase that can be a sentence by itself.
Examples
➢ Julie wants to go to university, but she didn’t get a scholarship. (both clauses – “Julie wants to go to university” and “she
didn’t get a scholarship” can be sentences on their own, but “but” is used to link them)
➢ The construction workers were making a lot of noise at 2 am, so I called the police.
➢ The teacher talked about tomorrow’s test, and the students played with their smartphones.
Exception
If the sentence has one subject and two verbs, no comma is used before “and”.
➢ The young boy walked on the street and thought about his new part-time job.
➢ I work all day and sleep all night.

Rule 3: Use a comma after an introduction.

Many sentences begin with an introduction that should be separated from the independent clause. These introductions are often
prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses (e.g. adverb clauses). Commas make the sentence clear.
Consider this example:
➢ When the family was ready to eat the dog barked. (up to “barked” it sounds like the family wanted to eat the dog)
➢ When the family was ready to eat, the dog barked.
Subordinate Clause: There is a subject and a verb but it can’t be a sentence by itself. There are many kinds of subordinate clauses.
Adverb Clauses: Begin with words like when, because, before, if, as, and since. Adverbial clauses give the reader important
information and answer questions about when, where, why, how much, etc.
Examples
➢ In America, football is a popular sport and big business.
➢ When the wallpaper is finished, the office will look brighter.
➢ Though his behaviour seemed rather odd, Professor John Nash was considered a brilliant math teacher.
Rule 4: Use commas in dates
When writing a date, a comma is used to separate the day from the month, and the date from the year – if you are using the month-
day-year structure (which is common in the US):
➢ July 4, 1776, was an important day in American history.
But if you’re writing the date in day-month-year format (which is more common in the UK), you don’t need a comma:
➢ The project will commence on 1 June 2018.
Also use a comma if you are including a day of the week with the date:
➢ On Friday, 25 October we’ll have a small gathering at our place to celebrate Mark’s birthday.
When you’re only giving a month and a year, you don’t need a comma:
➢ I haven’t seen this much snow since January 2002.

Rule 5: Use commas with appositives

An appositive is a word or group of words that explains another word in a sentence. Use commas to set off an appositive from the
rest of the sentence:
➢ Sam, my neighbor, lost his wife two years ago. Christian, his brother, has been visiting him regularly since then.

Rule 6: Use commas with non-defining relative cllauses

A relative clause is introduced by a relative pronoun (which, who, that, where, when, whose). There are two types of relative clause:
defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses.
A defining relative clause provides essential information about the noun to which it refers. If you take out the relative clause, the
sentence is incomplete:
➢ It reminded him of the house where he used to live as a child. (the clause in bold is the relative clause)
➢ It reminded him of the house. → which house??
There is no comma before defining relative clauses.
A non-defining relative clause provides information that can be left out and still leave a complete sentence:
➢ Bill, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, suddenly woke up. (the clause in bold is the relative clause)
➢ Bill suddenly woke up.
A non-defining relative clause is cut off from the rest of the sentence with commas/a comma.

Various rules
A comma is placed after “Yes”/”No”/”Well” at the beginning of sentences.
➢ “Did you know that Steve got married last week?” – “No, I had no idea.”
➢ “Well, I guess I’m not going to see you tonight.”
Before or after “please”.
➢ Please, don’t wear your shoes inside the house.
➢ Can you help me with the dishes, please?
Use a comma in direct speech before/after the name of the person that is being addressed.
➢ “James, stop playing with your food.”
➢ “If you want to go out with me, Lucinda, just ask.”
Use a comma between a city and the state/country.
➢ “I’m from Solothurn, Switzerland. And you?” – “I’m from Newark, New Jersey, USA.”
Exercises
1. Read the sentences and add commas where required.

a) All of the chocolate cookies are gone but I saved one just for you.

b) My boyfriend who works as a trustee was born in February 1989 in Thun Switzerland.

c) Have you met Mr Marriott and Julius his dog?

d) The floor in the movie theater was covered with popcorn cola chocolate and pieces of dried squid.

e) Because it rained yesterday the hiking trail was slow slippery and dangerous.

f) Felling strong and energetic I decided to climb the mountain and cross the river.

g) Well I might not be able to join you for dinner tonight but I’ll do my best.

h) “Have you ever played football and injured yourself Anna?” – “Yes I have. I actually broke my foot once.”

i) It’s not too late to change your lifestyle habits and increase your chances for a longer fitter life.

j) Many composers wrote beautiful music but nobody was better than Bach.

k) Jason my cousin currently lives with his fiancée in Bridgewater Massachusetts.

l) As the police officer turned his head the crowd jumped over the fence.

2. Add and/or delete commas.

a) If you write your name, and email address on the card and send it to me next week I will give you a 20% discount
coupon.

b) Many refugees are going to Europe, in search of food, to eat a job to make money and a place to call home.

c) He writes long meaningless stories for that online newspaper.

d) During the production, of the film the director nearly quit.

e) My mother, who went to school with my dad was born on 24 July 1952. She’s only eight days older than my dad
who was born on 2 August, 1952.

f) Answer all of the questions, and return the paper to me by Friday.

g) Since you put a big yellow tag on your suitcase it will be easy to find in the airport baggage area.

h) I sat down on the sofa, and watched TV.

i) Actually my brother is eight years older than me. He was born on November, 2 1979.

j) Yes, I was talking to, Adam. But that was all, we were just talking.

k) The English class was moved to a large, lecture room.

l) “I don’t care what you have to say for yourself. So don’t bother please.”
 SOLUTIONS “USING COMMAS IN ENGLISH”:
1. Read the sentences and add commas where required.

a) All of the chocolate cookies are gone, but I saved one just for you.

b) My boyfriend, who works as a trustee, was born in February 1989 in Thun, Switzerland.

c) Have you met Mr Marriott and Julius, his dog?

d) The floor in the movie theater was covered with popcorn, cola, chocolate(,) and pieces of dried squid.

e) Because it rained yesterday, the hiking trail was slow, slippery and dangerous.

f) Felling strong and energetic, I decided to climb the mountain and cross the river.

g) Well, I might not be able to join you for dinner tonight, but I’ll do my best.

h) “Have you ever played football and injured yourself, Anna?” – “Yes, I have. I actually broke my foot once.”

i) It’s not too late to change your lifestyle habits and increase your chances for a longer, fitter life.

j) Many composers wrote beautiful music, but nobody was better than Bach.

k) Jason, my cousin, currently lives with his fiancée in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

l) As the police officer turned his head, the crowd jumped over the fence.

2. Add and/or delete commas.

a) If you write your name and email address on the card and send it to me next week, I will give you a 20% discount
coupon.

b) Many refugees are going to Europe in search of food to eat, a job to make money(,) and a place to call home.

c) He writes long, meaningless stories for that online newspaper.

d) During the production of the film the director nearly quit.

e) My mother, who went to school with my dad, was born on 24 July 1952. She’s only eight days older than my
dad, who was born on 2 August 1952.

f) Answer all of the questions and return the paper to me by Friday.

g) Since you put a big yellow tag on your suitcase, it will be easy to find in the airport baggage area.

h) I sat down on the sofa and watched TV.

i) Actually, my brother is eight years older than me. He was born on November 2, 1979.

j) Yes, I was talking to Adam. But that was all, we were just talking.

k) The English class was moved to a large lecture room.

l) “I don’t care what you have to say for yourself. So don’t bother, please.”