COMMAS

1
COMMAS

• Use commas between two or more adjectives of
  equal rank that modify the same noun.
• Kristen applied a blue, shiny glaze to the vase.

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Use a comma after every item in the series except
  the last one.
• Woody Allen is a writer, an actor, and a director
  of popular movies. (words in a series)
• We searched under the beds, inside drawers, and
  in closets for the lost ring. (phrases in a
  series)
• The doctor explained how the blood test is done,
  what it reveals, and why it is necessary.
  (clauses in a series)

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Use commas after words like first, second, and
  third when they introduce a series.
• There are four steps to any painting job first,
  scraping second, sanding third, priming and
  fourth, painting.

4
Add necessary commas to the following sentences.
One sentence is correct already.

• 1) Throughout history there have always been
  fads in music clothing hairstyles and diets.
• 2) Fads catch on for a number of reasons first
  they are fun and second they make people feel as
  if they belong to the popular culture.

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EXERCISES, CONTINUED

• 3) Some of the most enjoyable fads include dances
  toys games and jewelry.
• 4) However, fads such as diets skateboards and
  freestyle bicycles can be dangerous.
• 5) On the other hand, the brightly colored hula
  hoops of the 1960s provided good exercise.

6
RULES, CONTINUED

• Use a comma after introductory words or mild
  interjections such as oh, yes, no, and well.
• No, we didnt see any snakes while we were hiking
  in the mountains.
• Use a comma after two or more prepositional
  phrases at the beginning of a sentence.
• After four rounds with the champ, Diaz was ready
  to call it a day.

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Use commas to set off one or more words that
  interrupt the flow of thought in a sentence.
  (however, therefore, for example, I suppose,
  moreover, I believe, by the way, in fact, after
  all, of course, furthermore, nevertheless)
• The judge, after long deliberation, sentenced the
  prisoners.
• William, moreover, made the all-state hockey
  team.
• The tire has a slow leak, by the way.
• Tim, however, decided not to attend.

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Use commas to set off nouns of direct address.
• Marcia, call a timeout!
• In the hallway, Mark, is a package for you.

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Use commas to set off appositives. An appositive
  is a word or phrase that explains or identifies
  another word. Usually, the appositive comes
  directly after the word it explains. There are
  two types of appositives essential and
  nonessential.

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RULES, CONTINUED

• Most appositives are nonessential and must be set
  off by commas for that reason.
• Timmy, the largest of the boys, was teasing my
  sister.
• The Count of Monte Cristo, written by Alexandre
  Dumas, is a fascinating book.

11
RULES, CONTINUED

• Essential appositives are needed to make the
  meaning of the sentence clear, so they do not get
  set off by commas.
• The author Ernest Hemingway is known for his
  simple, unadorned writing style.

12
Add necessary commas to the following sentences.

• 1) Alice Walker the famous writer was born in
  Georgia.
• 2) At the age of twelve she lost the sight in one
  eye in a shooting accident.
• 3) This young girl nevertheless did not let her
  partial loss of sight hold her back.
• 4) That book her first was titled Once.
• 5) In 1982 her eighth book The Color Purple was
  published.