The Nine Comma Commandments

From the House of Tinker

The Ambiguous Comma

• Comma usage is probably the biggest dilemma that all writers deal with.

• Students often say, “Commas go where the pauses are, right?”

WRONG

Punctuation Saves Lives

9 COMMA RULES

There are nine rules that will allow you to feel much more comfortable about using commas.

I know these rules, and I am going to share them with you.

#1 To separate items in a list

This is the comma rule that you all are probably very familiar with.

Martin voraciously ran to the store to buy eggs, dandruff shampoo, and anti-fungal cream.

*The last comma is known as the Oxford Comma—always use it, and you won’t be wrong.

#2 To separate two independent clauses with

FANBOYSWhoa, wait a minute! What in the

world is an independent clause?

An independent clause is a complete sentence.

In order to make this happen, you must call on my favorite boy band….

F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.

• For• And• Nor• But • Or• Yet• So

These conjunctions are necessary for combining two independent clauses (complete sentences)

#2 continued…

Whoa, wait a minute! What’s a complete sentence?

A complete sentence consists of three main ingredients:

1.Subject (noun/pronoun)2.Verb3.Complete idea

#2 continued…

Complete Sentences

• My dog ran away.• Jordan ate a whole

pizza.• I ran home.

Sentence Fragments

• Because I don’t like ketchup.

• To stop them from running.

#2 continued…• Mary walked home after school. Her

dog was nowhere to be found.

Mary walked home after school, and her dog was nowhere to be found.

• I told Tommy to take a shower. He still smells like bad body odor!

I told Tommy to take a shower, but he still smells like bad body odor!

# 3 To set off introductory elements

An introductory element is a part of a sentence that is used to give the reader a sense of timing.

Yesterday, Tyrone and I went to go see Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Before you wash your car, make sure you have all of the correct materials.

#4 To set off parenthetical elements (whisper clause)

A parenthetical element is non-essential information inserted into a sentence to give the reader more specific details.

The best team in the NFL, the Chicago Bears, is playing tonight against the Green Bay Packers.

#4 continued…

Thomas, the tallest kid in the class, is wearing a Van Halen t-shirt.

#5 To separate coordinating adjectives

Coordinating adjectives are simply two adjectives, side by side, that both describe or modify the same noun.

#5 continued…

• Throw away that stinky, old shoe.

#6 To set off contrasting elements or a distinct shift

Contrasting elements are used to emphasize the opposite of what was assumed or thought.

#6 continued…

A distinct shift in the sentence indicates the writer’s purposeful and dramatic use of punctuation to emphasize a point.

* This is often used to communicate sarcasm.

#6 Continued…

• He was merely ignorant, not stupid.

• I’m pretty sure Janet was looking at me, not you.

#6 continued…

• Terry, the gorilla, seemed reflective, almost human.

*A dash (--) is also appropriate for these situations.

• Terry, the gorilla, seemed reflective—almost human.

#7 To set off all geographical names, dates, titles, and

addresses

• Anchorage, Alaska• September 30, 2010• Rachel Lake, MD, will be at the

conference.• Rachel Lake lives at 999 Bears Drive,

Anchorage, Alaska.

#8 To shift between the main discourse and a

quotation• Emerson argues, “Be an individual!”• Emerson argues that we should be

“individuals.”

• Tommy turned to Gary and said, “I’m hungry,” but Gary was too scared to eat.

• “Go home,” said Janice vehemently.

#9 To avoid confusion

• According to Frankie Martin never sleeps more than four hours a night.

CONFUSING! Is Frankie Martin one person??

• According to Frankie, Martin never sleeps more than four hours a night.

#9 continued…

• If you ask Sharita Alice Walker is one of the most influential writers in the last century.

INCORRECT!! Who is the writer???

• If you ask Sharita, Alice Walker is one of the most influential writers in the last century.

Defenders of the Comma World

Now that I have instructed you all in the art of comma wielding, you can travel the world perpetuating proper comma usage.

Help Each Other Conquer!

Don’t be deterred by the Evil Comma Abusers that seek to drag grammar into the bowels of Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices!!!

Comma Splice

#10 Semicolon

• Separate two independent clauses with a semi-colon. – Like a yield sign instead of a full stop.

• Period four is the best class ever; they are not sorry for you. – Period two is the best class ever. They

are not sorry.