1. COMMAS WHEN TO USE THEM,

2. A COMMA IS USED…… WHEN YOU NEED TO HAVE A PAUSE IN A SENTENCE.

3. USE A COMMA FOR WORDS IN A SERIES.  Examples:  Jared, Cleveland, and Sam tried out for the football team.  My favorite foods are spaghetti, hamburgers, and pizza. A comma is placed in between each word in a series to take the place of the word “and”. You wouldn’t want to say “My favorite foods and spaghetti and hamburgers and pizza” would you?

4. USE A COMMA WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE ADJECTIVE.  Examples:  It was a cold, blustery day.  The fresh, hot rolls were brought to the table in minutes.  Again, this comma takes the place of the word “and”

5. USE WITH ADJECTIVE CLAUSES AN ADJECTIVE CLAUSE GIVES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A NOUN BUT IT IS A CLAUSE SO IT HAS A SUBJECT AND VERB. EXAMPLES: PIZZA, WHICH MOST PEOPLE LOVE, IS NOT VERY HEALTHY. GYM, WHICH SOME STUDENTS EXCEL IN, IS A RELATED ARTS CLASS.

6. USE COMMAS TO SET OFF APPOSITIVES AN APPOSITIVE GIVES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A NOUN. IT FOLLOWS A NOUN AND RENAMES THE NOUN. THE APPOSITIVES BELOW ARE IN YELLOW. A COMMA GOES BEFORE AND AFTER AN APPOSITIVE. EXAMPLES: CAMILLE MORILLA, A VETERAN CYCLIST, WON THE RACE. JOHN HANCOCK, A BOY IN MY CLASS, FAILED TO MAKE THE BASKETBALL TEAM.

7. USE A COMMA BEFORE A DIRECT QUOTE WHENEVER YOU ARE WRITING DIALOGUE YOU MUST REMEMBER YOUR COMMA! EXAMPLE: MARY SAID, “I WISH EVERYONE WOULD STUDY FOR TESTS.” “THE WORLD IS ROUND,” SAID CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

8. COMMAS SET OFF INTRODUCTORY PHRASES AND TO CREATE COMPOUND SENTENCES.  Use a comma when you join two sentences with a conjunction.  Examples:  Mary went to work, and Sam went to school.  Use a comma after words like “yes, no, or well” at the beginning of a sentence.  Example:  Yes, we know that we are running late.  Use commas to separate the name of someone being spoken to.  Example:  Inez, please pick up the trash now.  It is important, Lenore, to check the air in your tires regularly.

9. DEPENDENT CLAUSES NEED COMMAS USE A COMMA WITH A DEPENDENT CLAUSE, WITH UNNECESSARY WORDS OR PHRASES, AND TO KEEP YOUR SENTENCE FROM BEING CONFUSING. EXAMPLE: UNTIL WE WENT INSIDE, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS A SURPRISE PARTY. - - - DEPENDENT CLAUSE SOON AFTER OPENING, THE FARMERS MARKET RAN OUT OF CORN. ----THIS CLARIFIES THE SENTENCE. (SOON AFTER OPENING THE FARMERS MARKET RAN OUT OF CORN) - CONFUSING

10. USE COMMAS IN DATES AND ADDRESSES COMMAS SEPARATE THE PARTS OF A DATE AND CITY FROM COUNTRY. EXAMPLE: THE BIKE RALLY WILL BE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12. I LIVE IN ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.