Comma Rules: Lesson 1

[Tiger]

Before I get into the rules, I want to tell all of you why I'm starting with commas. Commas are quite simply the most commonly used form of punctuation. There are over a dozen comma rules, and it's difficult to remember all of them. My plan here is to teach you all, both mentors and students alike, how important it is to understand how to use commas and how you will save yourselves and your editors a lot of grief.

 

Let's start with how an editor feels about commas. Since I am an editor, I can tell you how frustrating it is to go through a story or story chapter with improper use of commas. This kind of error makes a story difficult to read. Also, you'll find that your editor will end up adding a great deal of corrections based upon these rules and might miss something else in your chapter, because comma mistakes are detrimental to the flow of a story. Editors are meant to find such errors, but an editor's job is also to give you ideas on how to improve your story overall. It's difficult to read a story in which comma errors are rampant, because the editor will focus more on whether or not commas are properly placed. This hurts you as an author.

 

Comma Rules: Part 1

 

1) One comma mistake that I often find is improper use of commas before conjunctions (words like and, or, but, because, nor, etc.) that join independent clauses. I am going to focus the most energy on this particular rule simply because of how common this type of comma error is.

 

Mark went to the store yesterday and he bought eggs.

 

What's wrong with the sentence above? It contains no punctuation at all between yesterday and the word, and.

 

Mark went to the store yesterday. And he bought eggs.

 

The example above does have punctuation, but it is improper punctuation. NEVER begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction.

 

Mark went to the store yesterday, and bought eggs.

 

The example above has a comma, but can anyone tell me why it's incorrect anyway? I will tell you. It is incorrect for one reason and one reason only. The phrase, and bought eggs, is NOT an independent clause. It is a dependent clause, meaning that it cannot make a sentence by itself. In order for a clause to be independent, it must has a subject and a verb. If one or the other is not present in a clause, it is a dependent clause. When using a conjunction between an independent clause and a dependent clause, do not use a comma unless another comma rule applies.

 

Now I will show you three correct ways to express the statement:

 

Mark went to the store yesterday, and he bought eggs.

 

The example above involves using a comma and conjunction to connect two independent clauses.

 

Mark went to the store yesterday; he bought eggs.

 

The example above uses a semi-colon to connect two related independent clauses.

 

Mark went to the store yesterday and bought eggs.

 

The example above connects an independent clause and a dependent clause.

 

2) Use a comma when there is a series of 3 or more words or word groups

 

Example: I went to the store and bought eggs, milk, bread, and cheese.

 

The preceding example is a simple series of commas.

 

Example 2: The recipe calls for three cups of white flour, two cups of water, and two large eggs.

 

The preceding example is a compound series of commas.

 

Note: Commas in a series in which semi-colons are necessary will be covered in a different lesson.

 

3) Use a comma when two adjectives can be separated by the word, and.

 

Example: Thomas is a funny, sweet guy.

 

4) Use a comma when an adverb ending in -ly adjective is used with another adjective.

 

Example: Sara is a lovely, kind girl.

 

5) Use a comma before or surrounding a person being addressed directly.

 

Example: I will go to the store, Marsha.

 

Example 2: Yes, Mom, I will talk to him.

 

6) Use a comma to separate the day of a month from a year and after the year. However, if part of the date is omitted, do not use a comma.

 

Example: I was born on November 29, 1982, in Kansas City.

 

Example 2: I was born in November 1982 in Kansas City.

 

7) Use a comma when separating the name of a city from the state (or province) and after the state (or province). However, omit the second comma if the two-letter form is used.

 

Example: Houston, Texas, is the fourth largest city in the United States.

 

Example 2: Montreal, QB is the second largest city in Canada.

[Graeme]

2) Use a comma when there is a series of 3 or more words or word groups

 

Example: I went to the store and bought eggs, milk, bread, and cheese.

 

The preceding example is a simple series of commas.

 

Example 2: The recipe calls for three cups of white flour, two cups of water, and two large eggs.

 

The preceding example is a compound series of commas.

 

Note: Commas in a series in which semi-colons are necessary will be covered in a different lesson.

As I understand it, the comma before the 'and' in these examples is what's called an Oxford comma. It's not mandatory, but it's certainly advisable because it reduces confusion, especially in compound series.

7) Use a comma when separating the name of a city from the state (or province) and after the state (or province). However, omit the second comma if the two-letter form is used.

 

Example: Houston, Texas, is the fourth largest city in the United States.

 

Example 2: Montreal, QB is the second largest city in Canada.

 

Er... what about countries that don't have two letter states? Is the rule whenever a state or province is abbreviated, or is it more complex than that?

 

Also, what about commas to separate out descriptive clauses (sorry, I don't know the technical name).

 

For example, the following two sentences are both correct, but their meaning is different because of the comma use.

 

My brother, Jack, is a keen football player.

 

My brother Jack is a keen football player.

 

The first applies when the narrator has only one brother, whose name is Jack, and they have included an extra clause to describe that brother. The second applies when the narrator has more than one brother and is specifying which brother is being discussed.

 

Similarly, the phrase "whose name is Jack" in the above paragraph had a comma at the start and end because it was there for descriptive purposes and its removal does not change the meaning of the sentence.

 

Have I got that right?

[Tiger]

As I understand it, the comma before the 'and' in these examples is what's called an Oxford comma. It's not mandatory, but it's certainly advisable because it reduces confusion, especially in compound series.

It is a matter of preference in that case, but many prefer adding the comma. As an editor, I usually suggest it for clarification purposes.

 

Er... what about countries that don't have two letter states? Is the rule whenever a state or province is abbreviated, or is it more complex than that?

It applies to abbreviations only as far as I know.

 

Also, what about commas to separate out descriptive clauses (sorry, I don't know the technical name).

 

For example, the following two sentences are both correct, but their meaning is different because of the comma use.

 

My brother, Jack, is a keen football player.

 

My brother Jack is a keen football player.

 

The first applies when the narrator has only one brother, whose name is Jack, and they have included an extra clause to describe that brother. The second applies when the narrator has more than one brother and is specifying which brother is being discussed.

 

Similarly, the phrase "whose name is Jack" in the above paragraph had a comma at the start and end because it was there for descriptive purposes and its removal does not change the meaning of the sentence.

 

Have I got that right?

That's a new one for me. I'll have to do some more digging. I doubt it would hurt to use the comma either way though. In the "whose name is Jack" clause, a comma is certainly necessary. I believe that rule is in a future lesson though.

[rec]

Graeme is absolutely right on the "My brother Jack" interpretation. The key is whether 'Jack' is independent of or dependent to the sentence. In the "My brother, Jack, etc" sentence, the information is not critical but adds to the meaning of the sentence. In the "My brother Jack" sentence, there is an implied follow-on: for example, "My brother Jack is keen on football, but my brother Jesse detests football." Or, "My brother Jack is keen on football, but my other brother, Jesse, detests football."

 

My mnemonic device is to remember the children's book My Friend Flicka (no commas in either this sentence or the title), recognizing that it is almost certain that I have more friends than Flicka.

 

With regard to the Montreal, QB usage, I think it looks ugly that way, and I can't recall any punctuation references that specify how to apply commas to that city. I think that Montreal QB looks better. Montreal, Quebec, looks the best.

[TalonRider]

Also, if it's any help, you can check out the Grammar and Punctuation Workshop in the Editor's Corner forum. Pages 2 & 3 have some articles posted there.

 

I've go thru the articles and gotten rid of the diamonded question marks that appeared after the last round of software updates to the sit.

[Frostina]

The Oxford comma is sooo very useful.

I found a good example of HOW useful it actually is!

 

[Enoch]

Thank you Tiger, and I KNOW my editor thanks you