When should you use a comma.

A comma signals a pause between parts of a sentence. When writing a list of three or more, the use of an Oxford comma before and is optional, but often recommended. They visited Portugal, Spain, and France. They visited Portugal, Spain and France. When and connects two independent clauses, a comma should be placed before it.When it’s used in this way, there should be no comma before “so.”. Again, a good test is to try replacing “so” with “therefore” and “so that” to see which one matches your intended meaning. For example, take the sentence “I ducked so I could pass under the branches.”. Replacing “so” with “therefore” results in a ...The Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma or Harvard comma) is the use of a comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more …Use commas to connect 2 or more principal clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (‘and’, ‘or’, ‘but’, ‘so’). If they have different subjects, use a comma …Let’s start by looking closer at placing a comma after “otherwise.”. After all, this is the correct way to use “otherwise” in almost every case. You should place a comma after “otherwise” whenever it connects two clauses. Since this is the most common use for “otherwise,” we always place commas after it. We’ll start with the ...

Jul 14, 2022 · As a general rule, you don’t need a comma after and. Even if you start a sentence with an introductory “and,” you should not place a comma after it. The future is bright. And, it’s coming faster than you think. The only occasion when a comma might appear after “and” is when the sentence is interrupted at that point by a ... In very formal circumstances, you could follow your salutation with a colon. For example: When the salutation in your email starts with Hello or Hi, you should put a comma before the name of the ...

Like “including,” these phrases may introduce either a restrictive or a nonrestrictive clause. When they introduce an essential description necessary to the meaning of the sentence, the writer should not set the description apart with commas. On the other hand, if these phrases begin an inessential description, commas must be used.

Do you use a comma before "and"? Unfortunately, it's not a yes/no question. There are three main rules: (1) Use a comma before "and" if it merges two comple... Conjunction. We can use “like” as a conjunction when we want to connect two clauses with each other. In this way, no commas are needed when including “like,” and less punctuation is needed overall to get it correct. For example: He can’t get away with this. It seems. Becomes: It seems like he can’t get away with this. Comma before whose. As with who, use a comma before whose when it begins a nonrestrictive clause (providing an optional description), but omit the comma when whose begins a restrictive clause (presenting information essential to meaning). Restrictive: Passengers whose flights are delayed have been given … Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the order of the adjectives is interchangeable. Example: He is a strong, healthy man. We could also say healthy, strong man. Example: We stayed at an expensive summer resort. We would not say summer expensive resort, so no comma. 4. My friend John is a good painter. Both these sentences are correct and convey the same thing. The rule is – either have the commas both before and after a name, or don’t add it at all. This is because the sentence is talking about a particular person John. The addition of commas gives extra emphasis to the name."

Insert a comma before contrast clauses. These clauses imply contrast and begin with words like although, though, whereas, while, and even if. (The slight pause lent by the comma emphasizes the contrast.) Examples. She speaks our language, although she is Martian. Maya likes tea, while Tumkin prefers coffee.

Also on that wiki page you can find lots of links to certain style guides. Comma use is something of a grey area though, and everyone has his own style. Pick what reduces ambiguity. Language log has an interesting article on how reading comprehension can be improved with comma use, including this type.

5. Comma rules have nothing to do with this particular word. Let me explain. In your sample sentence, therefore is used as an interrupter, so you do need to put a comma before and after it. Example: I, therefore, recommended to him... If it's being used as a conjunctive adverb, you'd need a semicolon and a comma.Don’t use a comma before “and” if it’s not connecting two independent clauses. It goes without saying that a single word can’t be a clause, let alone an independent clause. That means if “and” connects two single words, you can’t insert a comma in front of it. Examples. “My favorite animals are llamas and …As you've pointed out, the word as is sometimes used to connect two clauses. When as is used this way, it generally means while, when, or because, depending on the context, and it is called a subordinating conjunction.The rules about when to use a comma with as are the same as the rules for using commas with other subjordinating conjunctions, including …You can use either which or that to introduce a restrictive clause—the grounds for your choice should be stylistic—and which to introduce a nonrestrictive clause. Another way of looking at this is that if your clause is bracketed by commas (“the article on grammar, which I started while eating lunch , seemed to never end”) it is likely ...8. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be …Trask's summary of the rules for including bracketing commas are: Use a pair of bracketing commas to set off a weak interruption which could be removed from the sentence without destroying it. If the interruption comes at the beginning or the end of the sentence, use only one bracketing comma. Make sure the words set off are really an interruption.Modifiers that are essential do not require commas. Example: Tell the students who failed the exam that they will have to retake the course. (Only the students ...

Introductory bits (small-medium-large) Setting off introductory words, phrases, or clauses …1 Place punctuation marks inside quotation marks. When using a period, comma, or exclamation mark with quotation marks, place the punctuation inside the quotes. “We won!” …Jul 25, 2023 ... Commas are used to set off an interruption in the sentence. FYI, it's crucial to remember to close that interruption with a second comma. For ...In short, you’ll typically only use commas after the date or year in the American date format, not the British date format. But you should always use a comma after the day of the week, unless you’re using “the” + ordinal number. Commas don’t have to be tricky. Avoid missing and misplaced commas in dates …The hottest debate in grammar comes down to a comma—the Oxford comma. Learn more about the Oxford comma and why people are so for or against it.Common uses of colons. 1. To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation. You can use a colon to draw attention to many things in your writing. The categories listed below often overlap, so don’t worry too much about whether your intended use of the colon …

Writing the Date Using the Weekday, Month, Date, and Year. If writing dates includes the weekday in a weekday-month-date-year format order, you must place a comma between the weekday and month and between the date and year. For example: The doctor’s appointment is on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. The last day of school is Thursday, May 26, 2023.

8. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be …When Not to Use a Comma. Just as omitting a necessary comma can cause confusion, inserting an unnecessary or poorly placed comma can also cause confusion. Check out the situations below to make sure you use commas when you need them, and avoid them when you don’t. #1: Don’t use a comma to separate …The major styles in which you are supposed to put a comma before “and” are Chicago, MLA, APA and Oxford. The first three are American, and Oxford is British. MLA is an academic style used for topics in the humanities, such as literature. APA is also an academic style, used for education, psychology and science.In some circumstances, you may use a comma before a conjunction such as "and" when it starts a dependent clause. This is when you are using the comma as an Oxford comma (sometimes known as a serial comma). The conjunction must split the third item of a list. e.g. I ate, slept, and dreamed of England. Read more about …You can buy an apple, a pear , or an orange. I can go or stay - which would you prefer? When used in a list, and and or never take a comma when the list has two items; when it has more, it is generally a good idea to use the comma. When used as a conjunction it is generally a good idea to use the comma (unless the phrases are very short).1. The word "since" is a conjunction introducing a coordinating clause in the structures presented by the OP; " since + subject + verb " forms a subordinating clause. According to grammar, when a subordinating clause with "since" comes before a main clause, you put a comma after the subordinating clause.

Usage guide. Don’t use a comma before or after the word that, either as a relative pronoun (when it introduces information essential to meaning) or as a conjunction (when it introduces a relative clause).The word which is also used as a relative pronoun, but it generally presents an optional description, which you should enclose in commas …

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You are correct that, at least traditionally, a comma is used with Jr. In fact, if Jr. appears in the middle of a sentence, a comma is used before and after it: “The abbreviations etc. and jr. are always preceded by a comma, and except at the end of a sentence, followed by one.” (Strunk and White, The Elements of Style) . To answer your …The answer is simple. You should use a comma if you are joining two independent clauses (separate ideas). Alan is a good singer, but he’s a sensational guitarist. The jury debated for the whole afternoon, and they eventually came to a unanimous verdict. Do not use a comma if you aren’t joining …Comma when “and” is part of a line of dialog. If a character in a work of fiction is speaking, the end of a line of dialog should be followed by either a comma or a period. If the dialog isn’t followed by a tag like “he said” or “she insisted,” then you need a period before the closing quotation mark. Otherwise, you need a comma.10 Ways to Use Commas Mastering commas is an essential part of becoming a competent writer. There is no generic rule that covers how to use commas. In other words, you cannot learn a simple rule like "a comma is used for a slight break." There are, in fact, 10 ways to use commas. (1) After setting the scene at the start of a sentence. For example:The proper definition of the Oxford comma is “a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before ‘and’ or ‘or’.”. For example: “Today I went to lunch ...Use commas to separate three or more items in a list. Keep in mind that items can be nouns, verbs, or adjectives. o I need to buy kiwis, coconuts, ...If the nonessential clause falls in the middle of the sentence, insert a comma before and after it, to denote pauses; if the clause begins or concludes the ...When the day of the week is provided before the month, the day of the week should be followed by a comma. When the date appears in the middle of a sentence, …In the world of data management, there are various file formats available to store and organize data. Two popular formats are XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and CSV (Comma Separa...A comma before “that” is only necessary when it introduces parenthetical information in the middle or at the end of a sentence. Inserting a parenthetical that-remark is possible regardless of the part of speech it belongs to. However, a pre-comma otherwise makes the sentence ungrammatical when “that” non-parenthetically functions as a ...

Commas vs. Semicolons in Compound Sentences. For more information on semicolons, please see the "90-Second Semicolon" vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel. A group of words containing a subject and a verb and expressing a complete thought is called a sentence or an independent clause. …In the world of data management, there are various file formats available to store and organize data. Two popular formats are XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and CSV (Comma Separa...Insert a comma before contrast clauses. These clauses imply contrast and begin with words like although, though, whereas, while, and even if. (The slight pause lent by the comma emphasizes the contrast.) Examples. She speaks our language, although she is Martian. Maya likes tea, while Tumkin prefers coffee.Instagram:https://instagram. frog hot tubrestaurants in fairbankstaylormade burner mini drivercan you ship alcohol via ups Commas are used to follow direct speech (if there is no question or exclamation mark after the quotation), or to show that it comes next.Confused on how to use commas? You're not alone. Read about 10 completely wrong ways to use commas at HowStuffWorks. Advertisement Some say proper grammar is on its way out. Rapid-... truck for workparking lot line painter Do you use a comma before "and"? Unfortunately, it's not a yes/no question. There are three main rules: (1) Use a comma before "and" if it merges two comple...4. My friend John is a good painter. Both these sentences are correct and convey the same thing. The rule is – either have the commas both before and after a name, or don’t add it at all. This is because the sentence is talking about a particular person John. The addition of commas gives extra emphasis to the name." worklaptop The distinction probably emerges from their different meanings in Latin, which grants them different usages in writing. E.g. (exempli gratia in Latin, meaning “for example”) should be generally followed by a list of examples. Thus, adhering to proper English style usually requires commas to follow e.g. to delimit the beginning of that list.. I.e. (id est in …Rule #10: Don’t Separate a Compound Subject or Compound Object With Commas. If you have a compound subject or a compound object in a sentence that consists …Use commas to connect 2 or more principal clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (‘and’, ‘or’, ‘but’, ‘so’). If they have different subjects, use a comma …