Comma Rules

1
Comma Rules

• English I

2

1. Items in a series

I like peas, beans, grapes, and apples.
2. City/State/Address
I live in Brandon, Mississippi, near the high
school.
3. Greeting/closing of a friendly letter
Dear John, Love, Shelby
4. Date
I was born on December 18, 1990, in Memphis,
Tennessee.
3
5. Compound Sentence
I went to the store, and I bought a Coke.
For And Nor But Or Yet So
Use commas with coordinating conjunctions -
FANBOYS
Note Do not use a comma with a conjunction if
there are not two sentences I went
to the store and bought a Coke.
4
6. Appositive
My sister, a teacher at Ole Miss, has three
children.
7. Interrupter/parenthetical expression -
(however, of course, to tell the truth, etc.)
- Northwest Rankin, to tell the truth, is a great
school. - Of course, Im going to the game.

8. Noun of address
- Jason, please hand me that paper. - Please sit
down, Lisa, and be quiet.
5
9. Introductory word - (yes, no, well, oh)
Yes, I made a good grade on the test.
10. Introductory phrase
- Whispering softly, Sam told me that he loved
me. - Behind the old barn, I saw a wild fox.
Introductory prepositional phrases that have
four or more words need a comma. Less than four
words no comma In the barn the cows and pigs
fought.
6
11. Introductory clause (subordinate/dependent
clause)
After we win the championship, we will go
celebrate.
12. Coordinate adjective (two adjectives)
It was a cool, crisp day.
Hint - use a comma if you can insert and in
place of the comma. - It was a cool AND crisp day.
13. To prevent misreading/to improve clarity
Whatever you do, do well. Baking, Mary burned her
finger.
7
14. Name with a title or degree
- John Jones, Jr., lives in Dallas. - My dentist
is Seth Thomas, D.D.S.
15. To introduce a direct quote
Haley said, I worked hard on that Homecoming
float.
Note no comma with an indirect quote Kyle said
that he would meet us at the mall.
8

1. Nonessential clause (not necessary in the
   sentence)

Kellys car, which is blue, was stolen last night.
Note No commas are used with essential
clauses The car that was stolen was Kellys.
Hint - Usually use commas with which but no
commas with that.

1. Do not use a comma with because

I cant go to the game because I have to work.