COMMA RULES 1, 2, AND 3.

COMMA RULES 4, 5, AND 6.

EXERCISES.
ILE-322 ACADEMIC WRITING
 COMMA RULE 1
• PUT A COMMA BEFORE FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET,
SO (REMEMBER THESE 7 WORDS AS THE FANBOYS)
WHEN THEY CONNECT TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES.
• The neighbors recently bought a minivan, and
now they take short trips every weekend.
• We wrote our paragraphs in class today, but the
teacher forgot to collect them.
• She was recently promoted, so she has moved to a
better office.
If you use a comma alone between two independent clauses, the result is an
error called a comma splice.

• The cake looked delicious, it tasted good too.

(comma splice)

• The cake looked delicious, and it tasted good too.

(correct) \o/
 COMMA RULE 2

•USE A COMMA TO SEPARATE

THREE OR MORE ITEMS IN A
SERIES.
• Students in literature classes are reading short stories, poems, and plays.
• Today I did my laundry, washed my car, and cleaned my room.

If an address or date is used in a sentence, put a comma after every item, including the
last.

My father was born on August 19, 1941, in Mesa, Arizona, and grew up
there.
Shelby lived in St. Louis, Missouri, for two years.
 COMMA RULE 3

• PUT A COMMA AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY

EXPRESSION (A WORD, A PHRASE, OR A
DEPENDENT CLAUSE) OR BEFORE A
COMMENT OR QUESTION TAGGED ONTO THE
END.
• Finally, he was able to get through to his insurance company.
• During her last performance, the actress fell and broke her foot.
• Once I have finished my homework, I will call you.
• He said he needed to ruminate, whatever that means. (comment)
• The new chairs aren’t very comfortable, aren’t they?
 ADD COMMAS TO THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES ACCORDING TO THE FIRST 3
COMMA RULES. SOME SENTENCES MAY NOT NEED ANY COMMAS, AND SOME
NEED MORE THAN ONE. ANY OTHER PUNCTUATION ALREADY IN THE
SENTENCE IS CORRECT.

• EXERCISE 1. (PAGE 184)

• 1. I've been reading Helen Keller's book, The Story of My Life, and I have learned a lot
more about her. (2)
• 2. I originally thought that Keller was born deaf and blind, but I was wrong. (1)
• 3. When she was just under two years old, Keller became ill with a terrible fever. (1)
• 4. The family doctor believed that Keller was dying and prepared her family for the
worst.
• 5. Not long, after the doctor shared his fears with her family, Keller recovered from the
fever. (1)
• 6. Unfortunately, this sudden illness left Keller without the ability to see, to hear, or
to speak. (3)
• 7. The only tools that Keller had left were her sense of touch, her active mind, and
her own curiosity. (2)
• 8. With her teacher, Anne Sullivan’s constant assistance, Keller eventually learned
to read, to write, and to speak. (3)
• 9. Keller was lucky to have so many people who loved and cared for her.
• 10. In my opinion, Helen Keller was an amazing person, and her story inspires me
to do my best. (2)
 EXERCISE 2. PAGE 184-185
• 1. Throughout human history, people have imagined, designed, and patented a lot
of silly contraptions. (3)
• 2. I’ve just read about two of the silliest: one of them is a self-cooling rocking
chair, and the other is a locket to hold a person's used chewing gum. (1)
• 3. The “Air-Cooled Rocking Chair” was patented on July 6, 1869, and the person
sitting in the chair is the one who cools it. (2)
• 4. Beneath the seat of the chair, the designer installed a bellows like those used to
blow air into a fireplace. (1)
• 5. Along the back of the chair, the patent calls for a flexible tube to rise above the
sitting person’s head. (1)
• 6. As the person rocks on the seat, the bellows sends blasts of air through the tube
and over his head. (1)
• 7. I don’t think that I would like that, do you? (1)
• 8. The “Chewing Gum Preserver” was patented on January 1, 1889, to allow the
gum chewers to carry used chewing gum in a safe, sanitary, and responsible way.
(4)

• 9. In the drawing that accompanies the description of this invention, it looks a lot
like a pocket watch. (1)
• 10. The chewing-gum locket could be worn out on a chain, or it could be carried
in a pocket. (1) Source: Absolutely Mad Inventions, Dover,
 EXERCISE 3. PAGES 185-186

• 1. Whenever I ask my friend Karen a computer-related question I end up

regretting it. (1)
• 2. Once she gets started Karen is unable to stop talking about computers. (1)
• 3. When I needed her help the last time my printer wasn’t working. (1)
• 4. Instead of just solving the problem Karen went on and on about print settings
and font choices that I could be using. (1)
• 5. When she gets like this her face lights up and I feel bad for not wanting to hear
the latest news on software upgrades email programs and hardware
improvements. (4)
• 6. I feel guilty but I know that I am the normal one. (1)
• 7. I even pointed her problem out to her by asking, “You can’t control yourself
can you?” (1)
• 8. She just grinned and kept trying to fix my printer.
• 9. Karen always solves my problems so I should be grateful. (1)
• 10. When I ask for Karen’s help in the future I plan to listen and try to learn
something. (1)
COMMA RULES 4, 5, AND 6.
 COMMA RULES 4, 5, AND 6. THE NEXT THREE COMMA RULES ALL INVOLVE
USING PAIRS OF COMMAS TO ENCLOSE WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL “SCOOPABLE”
ELEMENTS (CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF
A SENTENCE WITHOUT AFFECTING ITS MEANING.

• 4. Put commas around the name of a person spoken to.

• Did you know, Danielle, that you left your backpack at the library?
• 5. Put commas around expressions that interrupt the flow of the sentence (such
as however, moreover, therefore, of course, by the way, on the other hand, I
believe, I think).
• I know, of course, that I have missed the deadline.
• 6. Put commas around additional information that is not needed in a sentence.
• Hamlet, Shakespeare's famous play, has been made into a movie many times.
 SURROUND ANY “SCOOPABLE” ELEMENTS WITH COMMAS ACCORDING
TO COMMA RULES 4, 5, AND 6. ANY COMMAS ALREADY IN THE
SENTENCES FOLLOW COMMA RULES 1, 2, AND 3. SOME SENTENCES MAY
BE CORRECT.
EXERCISE 1. PAGE 191.
• 1. People who own cats know that these pets often bring their owners unwelcome
presents.
• 2. Cats bring dead mice or birds to their owners and expect them to be pleased.
• 3. Cats become confused when their owners react angrily, not happily, to these
“presents.” (2)
• 4. Desmond Morris, renowned animal expert, explains this misunderstood
behavior in his book Catwatching. (2)
• 5. Morris explains that cats who most frequently bring prey to their owners, are
female cats without kittens.
• 6. These cats have a strong instinct to teach their kittens how to hunt for food.
• 7. In the absence of kittens, these cats treat their owners as the next best thing
kitten replacements. (1)
• 8. The first step in this process of teaching “kittens” how to hunt, and the cat
owner hate most, is sharing the results of the hunt with them. (2)
• 9. The owner's reaction, which usually involves yelling and disappointment,
should include praise and lots of petting. (2)
• 10. Cat owners, who do understand their pets, will be flattered next time they
see what the cat dragged in.
 EXERCISE 2. PAGE 192.

• 1. Paula who left at the intermission missed the best part of the play. (2)
• 2. Anyone who left at the intermission missed the best part of the play.
• 3. Our teacher posted the results of the test that we took last week.
• 4. Our teacher posted the results of the midterm which we took last week. (1)
• 5. The math teacher Mr. Simon looks a lot like the English teacher Mr. Simon.
• 6. Mr. Simon the math teacher looks a lot like Mr. Simon the English teacher. (3)
• 7. My clothes dryer which has an automatic shut-off switch is safer than yours
which doesn’t. (3)
• 8. An appliance that has an automatic shut-off switch is safer to use than one that
doesn’t.
• 9. Students who ask a lot of questions usually do well on their exams.
• 10. John and Brenda who ask a lot of questions usually do well on their exams. (2)
 EXERCISE 3. PAGES 192-193.

• 1. This year’s photo directory, I believe, turned out to a little better than last
year’s. (2)
• 2. I believe this year's directory turned out a little better than last year’s.
• 3. There, were I think, still a few problems. (2)
• 4. I think there were still a few problems.
• 5. The employee whose picture is at the top of our page is my supervisor.
• 6. My supervisor, whose picture is at the top of our page, is wearing his name
tag, but he’s not listed at the bottom. (2)
• 7. Ms. Tracy, the photographer who took the pictures, needed to help people
with their poses. (2)
• 8. The photographer who took the pictures needed to help people with their
poses.
• 9. And no one, it seems, had time to look in a mirror. (2)
• 10. And it seems that no one had time to look in a mirror.