Transcript Comma Rules How and When to use them!

Comma Rules
How and When to use them!
Comma Rule 1: Use commas to
separate items in a series

A series is three or more items written one
after another. The items may be words,
groups of words, phrases, or clauses.
Ex.
1.
2.
3.
4.
December, January, and February are cold months in Maine.
(words in a series)
For lunch I had a sandwich, some milk, and an apple. (groups of
words)
There are spots at the top, on the sides, and on the bottom.
(phrases in a series)
We sang, we danced, and we played games at the party.
(clauses in a series)
Practice Rule 1: copy each sentence and insert commas
if they are necessary. Then say if it is because of a list of
words, group of words, phrases, or clauses.
Try It
 Denise raises guppies and goldfish and
mollies.
 Our dog can roll over walk on his hind feet
and catch a Frisbee.
 Shakespeare was a playwright a poet and
an actor.
Comma Rule 2: Use a comma to separate two or
more adjectives immediately before a noun. The
comma should be placed between the two or more
adjectives.
Ex.
 Jupiter is a large, strange planet.
 Smoking is a costly, dangerous habit
Try It:
My water spaniel is a fat sassy puppy.
Tom Brady played a powerful brilliant game.
Comma Rule 3: Use a comma before and, but, or,
nor, for, and yet when they join independent clause
in a compound sentence.
Ex:
 Kelly offered to get the tickets, and I
accepted.
 They had been working very hard, but they
didn’t seem very tired.
 The twins will see their favorite baby sitter,
for their parents are going out.
Practice Rule 3:
Try It
1. Each of the goddesses wanted to be
chosen the most beautiful and each of them
offered the Gods gifts.
2. The Greeks attacked Troy but the Trojans
did not give up.
Comma Rule 4: use commas to set off participle
phrases and adjective clauses ONLY when they are
NOT essential to the basic meaning of the sentence
Ex.
My sister, listening to her radio, did not hear
me talking to her. (nonessential phrasecommas needed )
The boy who is speaking lived in Maine for
two years. (essential phase- no commas
needed)
Practice Rule 4: Practice Rule 4: Decide if the sentences
have NON-ESSENTIAL phrases that need to be set off by
commas. Insert commas and underline the non-essential
phrase in each sentence.
Try It:
1. I saw your mother who was shopping at the
mall.
2. Fenway Park located five blocks from
downtown Boston has tours during the
winter.
3. You must return the pen that you borrowed.
Comma Rule #5
Use a comma after certain
introductory elements:
After an introductory phrase:
Ex. Beginning a new school year, Stacy felt
a little nervous.

After two or more prepositional phrases:
Ex. In the morning, sunlight streamed through
the window.

Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional Phrase: Starts with a preposition and
ends with a noun.

Common prepositions:
at
before
except
like
past
toward
with
above
below
for
of
since
under
within
across
behind
from
off
through
until
without
along
down
in
on
throughout
up
by
during
into
over
to
upon