When should you use a comma

Punctuation can be a tricky thing to master, but one of the most essential marks of all is undoubtedly the comma. It might seem like nothing but a small, ...

One common issue writers have is how to punctuate parentheses properly, specifically whether to use a comma after parentheses or before. Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up. Grammarly’s writing assistant can help you make sure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are tip …Commas can often be forgotten when using conjunctions. Learn more about comma placements and when to use them with conjunctions.Sorted by: 1. When you use the phrase 'of course' you have to use a comma. It doesn't matter whether it is in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence. I'm completely sure that the first two sentences are right, but the last one seems wrong to me. Share. Improve this answer. Follow. answered Sep 15, 2016 at 18:28.Most of the time, you should not use a comma before because when it connects two clauses in a sentence. Because is a subordinating conjunction, which means that it connects a subordinate clause to an independent clause; good style dictates that there should be no comma between these two clauses.An exception can and …If you are emulating a style of casual speech, as the others have explained, you could use a comma after so, especially if you hear a significant pause.Such a pause may be caused by indignation, hesitation, etc. So, what do you want to play with next? Traditional style, on the other hand, forbids it.Whether or …Apr 19, 2023 · The Oxford (or serial) comma is the final comma in a list of things. Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and notebook. The Oxford comma is the one right after eraser. The use of the Oxford comma is a matter of style, meaning that some publishing styles stipulate its use while others don’t. In other words, it’s not incorrect to use the Oxford ... Commas have quite a few uses in English: 1. Separating items in a list of three or more 2. Connecting two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction 3. Setting apart non-restrictive relative clauses 4. Setting apart nonessential appositives 5. Setting apart introductory phrases 6. Setting … See moreApr 10, 2023 · 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 sheep.”.

Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off transition words and phrases as well as clauses that are not essential to the meaning of the ...Comma Before Because | Rules & Examples. Published on March 7, 2023 by Jack Caulfield.Revised on September 11, 2023. You normally shouldn’t use a comma before “because” when the reason that “because” introduces is essential to your meaning.For example, the point of the sentence below is to give a reason for …To Begin a New Clause. When please begins a new clause after a dependent clause, DO place a comma before it. A comma is not required after please, but if you want to emphasize it further, you may add a comma. For example: If you call, please make sure to ring after 10 o’clock. If you call, please, make sure to ring after 10 …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.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).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 ...A general rule of thumb for comma before with. A good rule to follow is to ask yourself “Is the phrase after “with” describing the word before “with”. Here, we don’t add the comma because we are describing his friend. It’s his friend who has the broken leg, not Blake. “Blake helped his friend, with a broken leg”.

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.Dec 9, 2018 ... This video reviews some of the situations in English writing in which a comma must be used. Note that this is merely an overview and there ...Sorted by: 1. When you use the phrase 'of course' you have to use a comma. It doesn't matter whether it is in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence. I'm completely sure that the first two sentences are right, but the last one seems wrong to me. Share. Improve this answer. Follow. answered Sep 15, 2016 at 18:28.3. Use two commas to set off an appositive or an aside in the midst of a sentence. An appositive is a word or phrase that describes a noun it ...Updated on June 10, 2020 Grammar. I.e. and e.g. are both Latin abbreviations. E.g. stands for exempli gratia and means “for example.”. I.e. is the abbreviation for id est and means “in other words.”. Remember that E is for example (e.g.) and that I and E are the first letters of in essence, an alternative English translation of i.e.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 …

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We'll get to semicolons later. Colons (:) introduce clauses or phrases that serve to describe, amplify, or restate what precedes them. Often they are used to introduce a quote or a list that satisfies the previous statement. For example, this summary could be written as "Colons can introduce many things: descriptors, quotes, lists, and …Mar 29, 2022 · 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 independent clauses. Sep 30, 2022 · The answer depends on how you are using or. Always place a comma before or when it begins an independent clause, but if it begins a dependent clause, don’t. In a series (or list) of three or more items, you can use a comma before or, but this is a preference, not a rule. People often get muddled about whether to place a comma before ... Nov 29, 2023 ... Commas are like breaths in a conversation; they guide the reader through a sentence, indicating pauses and separating ideas for better clarity ...A quick trick for deciding if you need a comma before “so”. If you are unsure if you should place a comma before so in the middle of your sentence, try replacing so with “therefore” or “so that.”. If your sentence seems to work with a replacement of “therefore” without changing the meaning of the sentence, then so is a ...

Jun 19, 2011 · The simplest rule-of-thumb, one that will rarely lead you wrong, is always to avoid comma after "So" at the start of a sentence, immediately after a semicolon, or immediately after a comma. That applies regardless of what "so" means there or what grammatical term you think would describe it. 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 …This rule is important. When you see a comma used, you know that the information following its placement is separate (albeit related) to the phrase or clause that preceded it. For example: We weren’t convinced there would be rain, and I made sure to watch the radar to avoid prematurely canceling the event. In this sentence, the comma ...In fact, the rules for using commas are really rather simple, though complicated by the fact that the comma has four distinct uses. To begin with, forget ...Dec 18, 2018 · But the greeting “Hi” is a form of direct address, which by convention is set off with commas: Hi, Anne, That said, “Hi” marks the correspondence as informal. Thus, you might omit the punctuation: Hi Anne, If you run the body of your correspondence into the greeting line, as in a text message, you might use a period instead of a comma ... Commas should be used when three or more items in a series are listed. A comma should be placed between each of the three items (it is also acceptable to ...Dec 18, 2018 · But the greeting “Hi” is a form of direct address, which by convention is set off with commas: Hi, Anne, That said, “Hi” marks the correspondence as informal. Thus, you might omit the punctuation: Hi Anne, If you run the body of your correspondence into the greeting line, as in a text message, you might use a period instead of a comma ... Comma before and that joins two independent clauses. The word and is a conjunction, and when a conjunction joins two independent clauses, you …Leaving the comma out before “and” in a list of three or more items seems to join the last two items, at least to me. For example: 1) I have worked in the hardware, appliances, boys and girls departments. 2) I have worked in the hardware, appliances, boys, and girls departments. Example 1 makes it unclear if there is a …A comma is used before “but” because it's a coordinating conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are the glue that holds your sentence together. In other words, ...As Well As Comma. The phrase as well as creates one of those situations where you may have to make a judgment call about comma usage. As a general rule, you don’t need a comma before as well as . Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up. Grammarly’s writing assistant can help you make sure …

Mar 29, 2022 ... The answer is simple. You should use a comma if you are joining two independent clauses (separate ideas). Alan is a good singer, but ...

In most circumstances, "because" is a subordinating conjunction, so when it starts a dependent clause after the main clause, it shouldn't be preceded by a comma. However, there are two exceptions to this rule: when the independent clause that comes before "because" contains a negative verb (e.g. don't, couldn't, wouldn't) when the independent ...Jun 6, 2016 ... Usually, when you're trying to make a separation within a sentence, you use a comma. So Paige, so what are some things that commas can't do? - [ ...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 …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 ...Sep 30, 2022 · The answer depends on how you are using or. Always place a comma before or when it begins an independent clause, but if it begins a dependent clause, don’t. In a series (or list) of three or more items, you can use a comma before or, but this is a preference, not a rule. People often get muddled about whether to place a comma before ... Do you know what the Oxford comma is? Discover what this somewhat controversial punctuation mark is and how it’s used within the English …The first thing to know is that there are generally only two correct options: two commas, one before and one after the name/title, or no commas at all. While a comma after the title may be correct on rare occasions (which don’t concern us here), a comma only before a name or title is wrong. If you learned in school that you should always put ...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 ...

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Jul 17, 2023 · The states do not require or mandate the use of a comma between the title of your business and the corporation or LLC designation when naming your business. That said, many business owners prefer to use the comma to set apart their business name and to meet state requirements for the designation. For example, if, you, as a business owner, name ... Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, … 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. 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. …Everyone is taught to pause when reading a comma, but some people use the same logic when writing or placing the comma in a sentence. People often incorrectly ...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: 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, commas should appear both before and after the year. Examples. The store closed its doors for good on Wednesday, October 15, 1958. 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. Rule – Use a comma to separate the city from the state, and always put one after the state, also. Example: I lived in Denver, Colorado, for 20 years. NOTE: The U.S. Postal Service’s two-letter capitalized abbreviations (e.g., CO for Colorado, IL for Illinois) are not recommended in formal writing. However, when writing an address on an ... ….

In favor of American English, style guides such as the American Psychological Association, Associated Press Stylebook, and Chicago Manual of Style, concur on using a comma after e.g. Whereas, British English …The government will either increase the interest rate or keep it as is. The important rule to remember when it comes to correlative conjunctions is that you want to maintain parallelism between what comes after “either” and what comes after “or.”. In other words, if “either” is followed by a verb phrase, then “or” should also be ...Adverbs are words that modify verbs or even whole sentences. They often end in "-ly". Examples include quickly, frequently, slowly.You can see that they add some information to a verb or the sentence that they are modifying. Some adverbs don't end "-ly", e.g. sometimes or often. When an adverb modifies an entire sentence …Use a comma to separate two adjectives when the word and can be inserted between them. Examples: He is a strong, healthy man. We stayed at an expensive summer ...Thanks John or Thank You John. The original sentence “Thanks John” should also have a comma to make it “Thanks, John.”. The word “thanks” follows the same rule as “Thank you” when there is a direct address. Examples: Thanks, Mila, for welcoming us. Thanks for your never-ending support, Jaime. Thanks, Mr. Smith.Use Commas after Conjunctive Adverbs and Transitional Phrases at the Beginnings of Sentences. Although our modern style calls for using as few commas as possible, you should generally place a comma after conjunctive adverbs and transitional words because they modify the entire sentence: Nevertheless, we must push …Sep 30, 2022 · The answer depends on how you are using or. Always place a comma before or when it begins an independent clause, but if it begins a dependent clause, don’t. In a series (or list) of three or more items, you can use a comma before or, but this is a preference, not a rule. People often get muddled about whether to place a comma before ... Use a comma to separate the elements in a full date (weekday, month and day, year) Example: Friday, June 8, 2018, was a great day to go to the beach. Don’t forget to also add a comma after the ...For example, the Associated Press says not to use a comma before designations such as “Jr.” and “ Sr.” and specifically does not include a comma in the name “Martin Luther King Jr. Day.”. The Chicago Manual of Style says the comma is not required before “Jr.,” and also writes the holiday name without it. It’s still a … When should you use a comma, [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1], [text-1-1]