The Comma Crew

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The Comma Crew Cindy Ethredge Desiree
Fluegeman Jenaya Duke Christy Huggins Presents
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COMMAS

• Restrictive Clauses

• Non-restrictive Clauses

• Interrupters

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Comma Usage with Restrictive Clauses
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Restrictive Clauses
Restrictive Clauses

• Adjective clauses, adjective phrases, or
  Appositives (Noun phrases) that specifically
  describe or rename the subject of a sentence
• Relative pronouns identify Restrictive clauses
• which, when, where, who
• That (only used in restrictive clauses)

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• Warning! Warning! Warning!

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Do Not Use Commas With Restrictive Clauses!!!
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• Examples

• James Patterson who writes fictional detective
  stories is my favorite author.
• Adjective clause that modifies James Patterson
• A book written by James Patterson is worth
  reading.
• Adjective phrase, specifically a verbal phrase
  that explains which book
• Prepositional phrase can also function as an
  adjective
• The book Suzannes Diary for Nicholas is
  very different from Pattersons detective series.
• Appositive that positively renames the nearby
  noun book

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Comma Usage with Non-Restrictive Clauses
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What exactly is a non-restrictive clause?

• ALSO CALLED A PARENTHETICAL OR AN APPOSITIVE
• PROVIDES DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION
• INFORMATION CAN BE REMOVED WITHOUT ALTERING THE
  MEANING OF THE SENTENCE.
• THEY ARE SET APART FROM THE REST OF THE SENTENCE
  WITH COMMAS, DASHES, OR PARENTHESES.

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How do we identify these clauses?

• LOOK AT THE WORD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTRA
  INFO
• May begin with a wh word
• e.x which, when, where, and who
• But remember
• These are not the only words that will signal a
  non-restrictive clause!!
• These words can also be used with restrictive
  clauses!!
• Lets look at some examples

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EXAMPLES

• The detective, who was short, fat, and grubby,
  took down my statement.
• Nonessential phrase that tells us more about the
  detective
• Bill Clinton, who was the former President, was
  impeached for lying.
• Tells us more about the individual Bill Clinton.
• Harvard College, founded in 1636, is the oldest
  college in the United States.
• Even without the founding date, the main idea of
  the sentence remains.

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Comma Usage with Interrupters
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Interrupters

• An interrupter may be a single word, a phrase, or
  a short clause.
• An interrupter may be supportive, conditional,
  factual, detached, or evasive.

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Interrupters

• Supportive-by no means, by all means, in all
  likelihood

• Conditional-ideally, if needed, possibly, if
  possible, if warranted

• Factual- in fact, frankly, in all honesty,
  obviously

• Detached- perhaps, maybe, doubtfully, unlikely

• Evasive- reportedly, allegedly, according to
  sources

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Use a comma to isolate interrupters.

• If the interrupter is at the beginning or end of
  a sentence, use one comma.
• Example If possible, you should visit the
  dentist twice a year.
• You should visit the dentist twice a year,
  if possible.
• If the interrupter appears in the middle of the
  sentence, use two commas.
• Example You should, if possible, visit the
  dentist twice a year.

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How do I know that it IS an interrupter?

• Remove the word or phrase and its commas from the
  sentence.
• If the sentence that remains is grammatically
  correct, then the word or phrase does serve as an
  interrupter.
• Example The letter had, however, been lost in
  the mail.
• The letter had been lost in
  the mail.
• , however, interrupter

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How do I know that it IS an interrupter?

• If the sentence that remains is NOT grammatically
  correct, then the word or phrase does NOT serve
  as an interrupter.
• Example
• The letter had been mailed, however, it had been
  lost.
• The letter had been mailed it
  had been lost.
• , however, NOT an
  interrupter
• This sentence would require a semicolon or
  rewording. However is not being used as
  an interrupter.

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• To Summarize
• Restrictive clauses are adjective clauses,
  adjective phrases, or appositives that
  specifically describe or rename the subject of a
  sentence. Relative pronouns identify restrictive
  clauses. Do NOT use commas with restrictive
  clauses.
• Non-restrictive clauses provide descriptive
  information. They can be removed without
  altering the meaning of the sentence. Use commas
  to set off non-restrictive clauses.
• An interrupter may be a single word, a phrase, or
  a short clause. It may be supportive,
  conditional, factual, detached, or evasive. Use
  commas to set off interrupters.

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THANK YOU!