4 major comma rules pdf

The basics commas, the peskiest of punctuation marks, have six main uses. Commas signal where the main statement in a sentence. The girl with the bright friendly smile wore a bright green scarf to celebrate st. Monuments is clearly not two sentences, so no comma is needed. It is a piece of punctuation that has many many functions.

Refer to the eight comma rules you have learned and be sure you know why you are adding or deleting a comma. Use title case for proper nouns for example, names of people, places or organisations. Keep in mind that items can be nouns, verbs, or adjectives. I need to call sally tom brad and kelly about the party. A comma should be used between the number of the day and the number of the year in a date.

Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more. You cannot use the punctuation rules of your native language when you write in english you must use english rules. Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that relative clauses. Wrong the claimants attorney stated, that his client was unable to attend the hearing.

Different languages have different rules about how to use commas. Comma is a punctuation mark that groups and separates words within a sentence. Most often, you will hyphenate between two or more adjectives when they come before a noun and act as a single idea. Use commas to separate off clauses or words that are interjected into the. Nov 30, 2016 you may have heard of an oxford or harvard comma or serial comma, which states in a list if three or more, always place a comma before the final conjunction. The receptionist will admit you, the radiologist will xray you, the nurse will prepare you for surgery, and the surgeon will operate. According to wilbur, good friends who write well are not easy to find. Grammar, spelling and punctuation university of kent.

Put a comma between independent clauses when they are joined by these transitional words4. Both restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses may begin with a relative pronoun such as who, whom, whose, that, which. Use commas to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun. Note that only the most vital rules are included in this list. After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where. The comma is an extremely powerful piece of punctuation, can do a whole bunch of stuff. Use comma s to separate from the rest of the sentence any word or expression that is not essential to the sentences meaning. Use a comma to separate a list of three or more things. Some writers use fewer marks of punctuation, but others prefer to use many. Usually, it is not necessary to use a comma after short introductory prepositional phrases. Morton my english teacher says we have to learn how to use commas. Use commas to set off any word of phrase that is not essential to the main idea of the sentence3. Many tourists visit london and paris to visit museums.

It has the same shape as an apostrophe or single closing quotation mark in many typefaces, but it differs from them in being placed on the baseline of the text. Or should the comma after old precede the quotation marks. Separate with a comma any nonessential words or groups of words from the rest of the sentence. Carol shields, a university chancellor, wrote the stone diaries and larrys party. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Learn how to use the comma, you will find the answer on the 2nd page of the pdf. An independent clause is a group of words with a subject and verb that expresses a complete. Act english prep tips grammar 4 major comma rules to. Writing essays is not difficult, if you plan them well.

Dec 27, 2014 act english prep tips grammar 4 major comma rules to know best act prep. The act tests a specific set of punctuation rules, most of which deal with commas. If you know how sentences are structured, then it is easy to understand how punctuation helps. Add or delete commas where necessary in the following sentences. Comma worksheets and activities ereading worksheets. Students at our high school organized a garage sale to raise money for a local charity. Before a coordinating conjunction to join 2 independent clauses. Fanboys use a comma and a coordinating conjunction for, and, nor, but, or, yet, soa. In british english, it is quite unusual to use a comma with and. Dauphin island located off the coast of alabama is a favorite spot for. My three favorite foods are pasta pizza and ice cream. Use a comma before and, but, or, nor, for, yet, and so when these words connect two independent clauses. With the exception of the cases described below, the rules concerning punctuation, especially commas, are not as hard and fast in english as in some other languages. Clauses which are essential are called restrictive.

When positioned correctly, the comma prevents misreadings, assisting the reader in understanding the meaning of a sentence and how its parts fit together. I was forced to carry the bricks, so i was very tired. If a sentence needs no comma, write correct in the text box. If you have difficulty thinking in terms of subjects and object, think of the rule this way. The 14 act grammar rules you must know prepscholar. Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more2. Jul 09, 2016 when i was a senior in collegethink of it, i was an english major and didnt learn these until i was a senior in collegei finally had a fabulous teacher who embraced the commas innate beauty and condensed those 85 textbook rules into just four simple comma rules. Comma worksheets and activities learning to use commas and other punctuation with confidence requires a basic understanding of sentence structure. Dauphin island located off the coast of alabama is a favorite spot for fishing. Place commas wherever they are needed in the following sentences. Fifteen uncooked popcorn kernels, and a few grains of salt littered the front of roberts shirt as he slouched in the theater seat.

There are some cases where you know you should use a comma such as when separating items in a list but there are other times when you might be unsure whether or not a comma is needed while theres some degree of flexibility in how commas are used, its important to have a clear grasp of the rules. Add commas to the following sentences where needed. Comma rules list handout 7th grade website for english. Every main clause contains an independent subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence. I covered commas in a separate posthere ill be explaining the other punctuation rules you need to know, which deal with apostrophes, semicolons, colons, and dashes.

Use a comma before and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet to join two independent clauses that form a compound sentence. Sort independent clauses are sometimes separated by commas. With her mortarboard firmly on her head tammy, took her place in the graduation procession which was held on may 12 2009. Snuggling under the covers for a few more moments of sleep, clyde relished his first saturday free from work.

Use commas before and after a parenthetical phrase or clause. The comma is a valuable, useful punctuation device because it separates the structural elements of sentences into manageable segments. These nonessential clauses are called nonrestrictive. He says remember bob use commas before and after you address someone directly. These students spend a few months, or even a full year living and going to. Put a comma before and, but, for, or, nor, yet, and so when they. Punctuation worksheets help familiarize students with the appropriate uses.

The capitol will want vengeance after katniss fatal, impulsive stunt with the berries. The rules provided here are those found in traditional handbooks. When i was a senior in collegethink of it, i was an english major and didnt learn these until i was a senior in collegei finally had a fabulous teacher who embraced the comma s innate beauty and condensed those 85 textbook rules into just four simple comma rules. Following your purchase, you will have access to the following files. These rules are by far the most important for you to learn and understand in order to conquer the act english section. Commas, the peskiest of punctuation marks, have six main uses. Do not separate the day and month of a date with a comma. Go up two flights of stairs, turn right, walk to the end of the hall, and.

Familiarize yourself with the following comma rules. Commas and periods are the most frequently used punctuation marks. The idea for a fundraiser was originally jennifers. Putting a comma before that is a very common mistake. I have to clean my room walk the dog and take out the trash. A compound sentence is a sentence that has 2 independent clauses. A comma should also be used at the end of the date if the date does not end a sentence. Although the beavers were expected to win they choked on saturday night. I follow this rule because it avoids confusion and creates clarity. In this article, were going to cover some of the rules as painlessly as possible.

Some people do not place a comma before the and in a list. Comma before that common mistakes in business english. She was still quite upset, although she had won the oscar. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction and, but, yet, so, or nor, for when it joins two complete ideas independent clauses. However, dont put a comma after the main clause when a dependent subordinate clause follows it except for cases of extreme contrast.

If you know how sentences are structured, then it is easy to understand how punctuation helps writers negotiate their expressions. The comma, is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. We are having peas and carrots roast beef and cake for dinner. Today paige and i are going to teach you all about your new best friend, the comma. Heres brief rundown of everything this article will cover. Commas can be some of the most confusing punctuation to work with, and no one understands that more than the editors at dog ear publishing. You should not use a comma if a main clause comes first. However, it didnt take long for others to jump on board. Use a comma to separate a dependent clause from an independent clause. Comma rules use commas to separate three or more items in a list. The 4 most violated comma rules in transcripts avoid overuse of commas by using them only when one of these rules dictates. The comma probably has more rulesthan all the other punctuation marks added together,and the comma is probably the most usedand the most abused punctuation mark. This bundle of comma resources focuses on eight major uses of commas in a sentence.

It is true that language is dynamic, so conventional rules about grammar and punctuation change all the time. Four basic comma rules subjects in the program of study. An independent clause has the same three qualities as a sentence. Commas can be a particularly tricky punctuation mark. Can distinguish between simple sentences with compound elements no comma and compound sentences comma. Subjects in the program of study include english, math, and psychology. In the rest of the sentences, ill just give the responses, unless some special commentary is warranted. Go up two flights of stairs, turn right, walk to the end of the hall, and you will be there. Academics are often accused of being pedantic about grammar, spelling and punctuation, but all these seemingly endless rules are actually about effective communication expressing yourself clearly, accurately and precisely. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. While there are no simple rules regarding the placement of comma with conjunctions, the following guidelines should help.

They are problem sentences that contain two or more main clauses incorrectly joined together. Learning to use commas and other punctuation with confidence requires a basic understanding of sentence structure. Review the following independent clauses as an example of a common misreading due to a missing comma. Comma rules, part 1 grammar 4 major comma rules youtube. Should the comma after pizza follow the quotation marks. As he read the chekhov story he became aware of the russians genius. I hope that these worksheets, resources, and activities will help you better learn or teach comma.

Put commas around the name of a person being spoken to. Capitalise the principal words only, to distinguish them from common nouns or the generic meaning. The last two items in a list are usually connected by and. While plans were in progress, they considered every step available. This comma use is correct, because it is an example of extreme contrast. Language arts 7 phelps 201516 how to check your comma placements quora.

Act english prep tips grammar 4 major comma rules to know. Use commas to separate items in a series a if all items in a series are joined by and or or, do not use commas to separate them. B independent clauses in a series are usually separated by semicolons. Sep 22, 2015 different languages have different rules about how to use commas. Punctuation 1 grammatical construction of the sentence 2 types of clause 3 grammar. Coffee brewed on the counter top and bacon fried on the stove. Comma presentation this powerpoint introduces students to the eight comma rules in the unit. If you add a comma to a sentence, write the number of the comma rule you are following next to the sentence. Valerie, predictably, was named class valedictorian.

Rules for finding and fixing comma splices and fused. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. Place a comma after introductory phrases that tell where, when, why, or how. We use commas to separate items in a series or list. Understanding these comma basics is the key to correct comma usage. Prem, jane, and ellen were in charge of gathering all the items to sell. Commas and semicolons in the space provided, write c if the sentence is correctly punctuated, and correct other sentences with a comma or a semicolon. Apr, 2018 for more examples or explanations of the rules i discuss below, or if you want to learn more about act grammar rules, read our other articles on act english. Subjects in the program of study include english, math, and. Rewrite the below sentences on the given line, placing commas where commas are needed. Use commas to enclose clauses not essential to the meaning of a sentence. Comma rules for kids worksheet plazs comma rules outline. F for b but a and o or n nor y yet s so use a comma if you have one of the fanboys and the format most important. An independent clause is a group of words with a subject and verb that expresses a.