1. Comma Usage

2. What rules about commas do you already know?
ACTIVATE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

3. Commas
Students have trouble identifying where to put commas: they either put in too many or they don’t put in enough.
Some essays look as though the student loaded a shotgun with commas and blasted away.
There are several rules to using commas that will make you a better writer. We won’t learn all of the rules today—just the most common.

4. Using commas correctly can help you avoid misunderstandings
What does this sentence mean?
What does this sentence mean?
A koala eats shoots and leaves.
A koala eats, shoots, and leaves.

5. Commas
A comma is a guide for readers. It tells when to pause in a sentence or which elements in a sentence need to be separated in a meaningful way.

6. Review We already know some of the rules.
For instance, compound sentences, those with one of the FANBOYS separating independent clauses, need commas.
Let’s look at some others.

7. Rule 1: Items in a series
Use a comma to separate items in a series—a list of three or more. The items in the series may be words or phrases.
When there are only two items, do not use a comma.
When three or more items are all separated by the conjunction and or or, do not use commas.

8. Example
People eat turkey mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving day.
After eating, people watch football eat dessert and talk with their families.
I want pumpkin pie and a coffee.
I would like to bring a dessert and a salad and juice.

9. Rule 2: Compound sentences
Use a comma between the clauses in a compound sentence. Remember that a compound sentence contains two or more complete thoughts, called independent clauses, joined by a coordinating conjunction: and, but, or, for, nor, so, or yet.
Do not use a comma to separate two subjects in a compound subject or two verbs in a compound predicate.

10. Example I cooked on Thanksgiving so you should wash the dishes.
Mary and Jim brought dessert.
Jim cooked and cleaned.

11. Rule 3: Introductory elements
Use a comma to separate introductory elements—words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence—from the rest of the sentence.

12. Example As a result of overeating I fell asleep.
No I did not eat too much.
Quickly I ran across the room and answered the phone.

13. Rule 4: Dependent clauses
Use a comma after a dependent clause that comes at the beginning of a sentence.
Remember that a dependent clause contains a subject and a verb but is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone.
It begins with a subordinating conjunction such as before, if, when, after, or even though.

14. Example After I eat dinner I am going to watch football.
If you like eating Thanksgiving dinner so much maybe you should help cook!
When I go to my family’s house we always end up arguing.

15. Rule 5: Appositives (interrupting phrase)
Use commas to separate a nonessential appositive from the rest of the sentence.
An appositive is a noun phrase that further explains or describes another noun or pronoun.

16. Examples Ron my brother-in-law is Jewish and does not eat pork.
Pork the other white meat is delicious.
Math my least favorite subject is difficult for me to understand.
You do it:
Write a sentence with an appositive. Use commas correctly.
When I went to my first bachelor party, my brother’s, I spent more money than I planned to, and I stayed in Vegas for an extra week.

17. Rule 6: parenthetical expressions
Use commas to set off parenthetical expressions.
A parenthetical expression is a word or phrase that adds nothing essential to the meaning of a sentence. Many parenthetical expressions are transitions. Some common parenthetical expressions are for example, incidentally, of course, however, and on the one hand.

18. Examples Of course Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.
On the one hand you get to eat good food.
On the other hand I find American football to be boring.
Incidentally all of my favorite holidays involve cooking and eating.

19. Rule 7: Quotations and Dialogue
Use commas to separate what is being said.
Note that the period and the comma go inside the quotation marks.
Sophia said, “I’m going to take the dog to the park.”
“I’m going to take the dog to the park,” Sophia said.