commas

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commas
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• Rule 1
• Commas need to accompany conjunctions in compound
  sentences.
• They are used to separate two independent clauses
  joined by a conjunction.
• The market is full of exotic produce, and the
  prices are being driven up.
• I smiled, but I feared she was right.
• He forgot to call his girlfriend
• yesterday, so he called her today.

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Where not to put a comma...

• Do not separate compound subjects and/or
  compound verbs with a comma
• incorrect - Tom, and Jerry went to the basketball
  game.
• correct - Tom and Jerry went to the basketball
  game.
• incorrect - Sally ran, and jumped down the path.
  
• correct - Sally ran and jumped down the path.

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• REMEMBER . . .
• A comma alone will result in a comma splice
• incorrect - I didnt believe a word Phil said, I
  told him so.
• correct - I didnt believe a word Phil said, and
  I told him so.

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Rule 2Use a comma to set off an introductory
subordinate clause.
When the riot started, the police fired tear gas
into the crowd.Because the 1993 flood was so
devastating, some farmers in the Mid-west decided
to relocate.
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Rule 3Use a comma to set off a subordinate
clause following the main clause if the
subordinate clause has no effect on the outcome
of the main clause.
Some people refused to leave their homes, even
though the hurricane winds had started.
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• NOTE that in the following sentences the idea in
  the main clause will not be realized without the
  subordinate clause therefore, we use no comma
• Ill pack up and leave if you tell me to.
• We left the area because we were afraid to stay.
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• In general, if and because clauses are NOT set
  off those introduced by although and even though
  are. If you are in doubt about the punctuation of
  the clause in post-sentence position, you can
  shift it to to the beginning of the sentence
  there it will always be set off.

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Rule 4Use a comma to set off any introductory
phrase that contains a verb form.

• After studying all weekend, I felt absolutely
  prepared for the mid-term exam.
• Having worked at McDonalds for the past four
  summers, Max felt confident when he applied for
  the job of assistant manager.
• To get in shape for ski season, my roommate has
  begun working out on the Nordic Track.

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Rule 5 Use a comma to set off adverbial
prepositional phrases of approximately six or
more words.

• Towards the end of the semester, everyone in my
  dorm starts to study seriously.
• It is perfectly acceptable to set off shorter
  prepositional phrases, especially if you think
  the reader should pause. For example, information
  of specific dates is sometimes set off
• In 1994, Republicans gained strength in the
  midterm election.
•  

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In making decisions about such commas, consider
the punctuation in the rest of the sentence
Dont overload the sentence with commas. Also,
set off any prepositional phrase that might cause
a misreading
During the summer, vacation plans are our main
topic of conversation.
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Rule 6Set off words and phrases that modify
the whole sentence or that have a parenthetical
meaningat both the beginning and the end of the
sentence.

• Adverbs
• Luckily, we escaped without a scratch.
• We escaped without a scratch, luckily.
• Meanwhile, there was nothing to do but wait.

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Yes and No Yes, hes the culprit.
No, I cant go out tonight. Prepositional
phrasesIn fact, there was nothing I could do
about her problem.In the meantime, I listened to
her sad tale.
Absolute phrasesThe rain having stopped, Doug
and Deborah decided to go ahead with the
picnic.Eben and Paula relaxed in front of the
fire, their feet propped on the coffee table.
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Rule 7 Use commas to set off commenting
(nonrestrictive) modifiers in the noun phrase.

• My oldest brother, who is a senior history major,
  spends every night in the library.
• If the clause restricts the meaning of the
  sentence, then do NOT put commas before or after
  the clause
• The woman who wore the neon pink dress at the
  party forgot her purse.

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• Rule 8Use commas to separate two or more
  coordinate adjectives that describe the same
  noun. Be sure never to add an extra comma between
  the final adjective and the noun itself or to use
  commas with non-coordinate adjectives.

Coordinate adjectives are adjectives with equal
("co"-ordinate) status in describing the noun.
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• Coordinate refers to adjectives of the same
  classfor example, subjective qualities.
• a tender, delightful love story
• a challenging, educational experience
• a tall young man
• a huge red ball

• A good rule of thumb for making a decision
  about commas between these prenoun modifiers is
  this If you could insert and or but, use a
  comma
• a tender and delightful love story
• Notice that the two phrases without commas (a
  tall young man AND a huge red ball) contain
  adjectives from different classes (height, age,
  size, color)so they will not be separated.

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Rule 9Use a comma to set off nouns of direct
address in both opening and closing position.

• Students, your time is up.
• Put your pencils down, everyone.
• Help me, dear!

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Rule 10Use commas to set off direct
quotations that fill the direct object slot after
verbs such as say and reply.

• The waiter said, Good evening. My name is
  Pierre.
• Harold replied, Im Harold, and this is Joyce.

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Rule 11Use commas to set off the name of a
state when it follows the name of a city and to
set off the year in a complete date.

• I was surprised to learn that Cheyenne, Wyoming,
  isnt a larger city.
• I remember where I was on November 22, 1963, when
  I heard the news reports of President Kennedys
  assassination.

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Lightning Speed Round

• On your mark

Get Set
Go!
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Insert commas where needed.
Disclaimer Some sentences may not need commas.

• When Agnes appeared unexpectedly at her front
  door Mrs. Castaneda was delighted to see her
  again.

• When Agnes appeared unexpectedly at her front
  door, Mrs. Castaneda was delighted to see her
  again.

• Having greedily devoured the cookies the hound
  began to chew the corner of a rug but still Ms.
  OLeary did nothing.

• Having greedily devoured the cookies, the hound
  began to chew the corner of a rug, but still Ms.
  OLeary did nothing.

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• Garrett Morgan invented the first traffic signal
  with red yellow and green lights.

• Garrett Morgan invented the first traffic signal
  with red, yellow, and green lights.

• The walls were freshly painted and the windows
  had been washed to finish the redecorating job.

• The walls were freshly painted, and the windows
  had been washed to finish the redecorating job.

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• The Suez Canal which was completed in 1869 is 107
  miles long.

• The Suez Canal, which was completed in 1869, is
  107 miles long.

• In this city, drivers who use their horns
  unnecessarily are fined.

• Correct as is!

• Our library weeds out novels that have not
  circulated during the past five years.

• Correct as is!

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• At the beginning of the first paragraph you can
  find out where James Weldon Johnson was born.

• At the beginning of the first paragraph, you can
  find out where James Weldon Johnson was born.

• Working energetically to promote civil rights
  Johnson became the first African American to be
  admitted to the Florida bar after Reconstruction.

• Working energetically to promote civil rights,
  Johnson became the first African American to be
  admitted to the Florida bar after Reconstruction.

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• Mount St. Helens a volcano in southwestern
  Washington has erupted several times since 1980.

• Mount St. Helens, a volcano in southwestern
  Washington, has erupted several times since 1980.

• A whale for example is a mammal, not a fish.

• A whale, for example, is a mammal, not a fish.

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• On Saturday July 4 1998 my little sister hit her
  first home run.

• On Saturday, July 4, 1998, my little sister hit
  her first home run.

• The plot of the book a murder mystery is far too
  complicated.

• The plot of the book, a murder mystery, is far
  too complicated.

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• Looking for economical transportation Harry who
  had never bought a car before nervously
  investigated all of the possibilities at Country
  Motors.

• Looking for economical transportation, Harry, who
  had never bought a car before, nervously
  investigated all of the possibilities at Country
  Motors.

• Listening to directions can be too hard to do.

• Correct as is!

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• Call Felipe as soon as you can Hope.

• Call Felipe as soon as you can, Hope.

• Alex Haley the author of Roots attributed his
  interest in writing to stories his grandmother
  and great-aunts told.

• Alex Haley, the author of Roots, attributed
  his interest in writing to stories his
  grandmother and great-aunts told.

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• The Suez Canal extending more than a hundred
  miles links the Mediterranean Sea and the Red
  Sea.

• The Suez Canal, extending more than a hundred
  miles, links the Mediterranean Sea and the Red
  Sea.

• Cities that seem alike bear a closer look.

• Correct as is!

• People who are overly nervous may not make good
  drivers.

• Correct as is!

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• Each August visitors are welcomed to the Old
  Spanish Days fiesta sponsored by the city of
  Santa Barbara in California.

• Each August visitors are welcomed to the Old
  Spanish Days fiesta, sponsored by the city of
  Santa Barbara in California.

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Remove all unnecessary commas.

• Amy, and I put a videocassette and a fashion
  catalog in the time capsule, but we thought it
  was a stupid idea altogether.

• Amy and I put a videocassette and a fashion
  catalog in the time capsule, but we thought it
  was a stupid idea altogether.

• I wont leave now, if youll apologize, and admit
  youre wrong.

• I wont leave now if youll apologize and admit
  youre wrong.