Intro: Taylor Bones: Thomas Flesh: Thomas Cardinal Pleasures: Patrick Cardinal Sins: Patrick

 This video will help you better understand how to use comma’s 

 Use a comma to separate the elements in a series  Remember: Don’t add a comma before the first or after the last item in a series.  Examples:  The Constitution establishes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.  My favorite foods are ramen, pizza, and macaroni and cheese.

 Use a comma to set off introductory elements  Examples: Yes, the package should arrive tomorrow morning. If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor. Having finished the test, he left the room.

 Use a comma to set off quoted elements  Examples: "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things.“ "I should like to buy an egg, please," she said timidly.

 Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives  Example: Your mother has an easy, happy smile. That tall, distinguished, good looking fellow… The relentless, powerful summer sun beat down on them. (Note that there is no comma between the “powerful” and “summer” adjectives. These two are non-coordinate adjectives because the sentence wouldn’t make sense if the words were switched.)

 Use a comma to avoid confusion Examples: “Outside the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches,” is confusing and should be, “Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.”

 Typographical Reasons Examples: July 22, 1959, was a momentous day in his life. Who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC?

 Don't use a comma to separate the subject from the verb. Example: Reflecting on one’s life, is a necessary part of personal growth.

 Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate. Example: I turned the corner, and ran smack into a patrol car.

 Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound object. Example: The music teacher from your high school, and the football coach from mine are married.

 Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast). Examples:  She was late for class, but not because her alarm clock was broken.

 You can put a comma after the main clause when a dependent clause follows it only in cases of extreme contrast Example: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar.

 Serial comma or the Oxford comma. In newspaper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial comma, but that is not necessarily a sign that it should be omitted in academic prose. Example: (Without)- I like turtles, antelopes and gazelles. (With)- I like turtles, antelopes, and gazelles.