1. Comma Usage

2. INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES CLAUSES-IDEAS/THOUGHTS INDEPENDENT CLAUSE- Contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. DEPENDENT CLAUSE- A group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.

3. FANBOYS; 1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: FANBOYS; FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO. Example- Jerry Brown signed the Dream Act last week, and many immigrants celebrated this victory. Independent clause  

4. Subordinate Conjunctions 2. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. Introductory phrases usually begin with a subordinate conjunction: afterhow till ( or 'til) althoughif unless asinasmuch until as if in order thatwhen as long as lest whenever as much as now that where as soon as provided (that) wherever as though sincewhile because so that before than even if that even though though

5. Example: While I celebrated that the Dream Act passed, many frowned upon Brown’s decision.  Subordinate conjunction  Independent Clause However, don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast). Incorrect: She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken.  Dependent clause

6. 3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause. Example- My class, which is located in room 121, is occupied by amazing students.

7. Appositives An appositive is any information (almost always a noun or pronoun, often with modifiers) that explains or adds to a noun or pronoun of a sentence but is not necessary for the sentence’s meaning: if you remove an appositive the sentence still reads coherently. Example- Jerry Brown, the governor of California, signed the Dream Act last week.