TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIESTO SEPARATE COMPLETE SENTENCES AFTER INTRODUCTORY WORD GROUPS

AROUND APPOSIT IVES AND INTERRUPTERSAROUND ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Using Commas

To Separate Items in a Series

Commas are required if you plan to separate items that are listed in a sentence or that are items in a series. This includes:

NounsAdjectivesVerb phrasesPrepositional phrases

Nouns in a Series

He carried with him his shoes, his textbooks, and his umbrella.

To take the exam, you will need to bring paper, a writing instrument, and a calculator.

Cars, boats, trains, and airplanes are all modes of transportation.

Alexandria Hall houses the Humanities Department, the Education Department, and the History Department.

Coordinate adjectives Cumulative adjectives

adjectives that independently describe the noun

must be separated by commas when there are 3 or more adjectives

they need commas if the adjectives could be separated by “and” or “or”

adjectives that work together to describe the noun

cannot be separated by commas

it sounds ridiculous to separate the adjectives by “and” or “or”

Commas and Adjectives

Coordinate Adjectives in a Series

The singer wore a short, sequined, silver dress when she performed.

The parade was held despite the cloudy, cold, rainy conditions.

After he ran into the parked car, he had a mangled, dented, crushed bumper.

It is my opinion that babies are noisy, smelly, and time-consuming.

For example:

The singer wore a short AND sequined AND silver dress when she performed.

The parade was held despite the cloudy AND cold AND rainy conditions.

After he ran into the parked car, he had a mangled AND dented AND crushed bumper.

It is my opinion that babies are noisy AND smelly, and time-consuming.

Cumulative Adjectives in a Series

NEVER USE COMMAS WITH CUMULATIVE ADJECTIVESIf you cannot put the word “and” or “or” in between

the adjectives, you cannot use commas

The latest emergency weather bulletin announced that the storm closed major highways.

The shortest Superbowl commercial break was thirty seconds.

Your recent failing exam grade is not helping your grade point average.

For example:

The latest AND emergency AND weather bulletin announced that the storm closed major highways.

(that sounds ridiculous)The shortest AND Superbowl AND

commercial break was thirty seconds. (also sounds ridiculous)Your recent AND failing AND exam grade is

not helping your grade point average.(still ridiculous)

Verb Phrases in a Series

My father drove me to campus, unloaded my luggage, and helped me move in.

I opened the trunk, picked up the grocery bags, and packed them in the car.

After the cat came in the house, it visited the litter box, drank some water, and ate some food.

When you write an essay, you must research, prewrite, and edit.

For example:

My father drove me to campus AND unloaded my luggage, and helped me move in.

I opened the trunk AND picked up the grocery bags, and packed them in the car.

After the cat came in the house, it visited the litter box AND drank some water, and ate some food.

When you write an essay, you must research AND prewrite, and edit.

Prepositional Phrases in a Series

I couldn’t find the keys on the table, in my pocket, on the floor, or on the hook.

The bird sat on the branch, on the statue, on the fountain, and on the railings.

I had to drive over the bridge, across the highway, and under the overpass.

For example:

I couldn’t find the keys on the table OR in my pocket OR on the floor, or on the hook.

The bird sat on the branch AND on the statue AND on the fountain, and on the railings.

I had to drive over the bridge AND across the highway, and under the overpass.

To Separate Complete Sentences

As we have discussed in class, if there are two or more complete sentences in one sentence (called a compound sentence), they must be properly separated.

If you use a comma, it must be followed by a coordinating conjunction:

ForAndNorButOrYetSo

For example:

The coffee maker blew up when the power surged, and now it won’t make coffee properly.

My car ran out of gas, so I was late for work.

The rain was pouring down, but they did not cancel the concert.

After Introductory Word Groups

Introductory word groups are individual words, phrases, or clauses that are separated from the main part of the sentence with a comma. Remember that IF THE WORD, PHRASE, OR CLAUSE CAN BE MOVED TO THE END OF THE SENTENCE, IT SHOULD BE SEPARATED BY A COMMA.

Yesterday, I graded eight essays. Introductory wordBy the way, the Turnitin assignment closes when

class begins. Introductory phraseAfter I finished teaching class, eight students asked

for appointments. Introductory clause

For example:

I graded eight essays yesterday. Introductory word

The Turnitin assignment closes when class begins, by the way. Introductory phrase

Eight students asked for appointments after I finished teaching class. Introductory clause

Around Appositives and Interrupters

An appositive:occurs after a noun or pronoun renames the noun or pronoun Is not essential to the noun’s/pronoun’s meaning

An interrupter: interrupts the flow of the sentencecan be removed without changing the sentence’s meaning

Setting these words and phrases off with commas means that they are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

Appositives:LSU, a state school, is located in Baton Rouge. My mother, a registered nurse, is currently living in a

nursing home. Our television, a Samsung, is sitting in a corner of the

living room. Interrupters:In fact, you cannot walk from the school to the mall. By the way, you are the last student to submit his essay. Your car, incidentally, is blocking the handicapped

ramp.

Around Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause:Begins with who, which, or thatHas a subject and a verbDescribes a noun that comes right before it in a

sentence

If the adjective clause can be taken out of the sentence without significantly changing the meaning, it must be set off with commas.

For example:

My daughter, who is a junior, is taking the ACT a week from Tuesday.

Tamp & Grind, which is the local coffee shop, is in downtown Alexandria.

If you need to change your schedule, you should talk to Dr. Clark, who is the head of department.

If the Clause Is Essential, You Can’t Use Commas:

My daughter who works for the Dallas Stars got us season tickets.

Students who study daily often make high grades.

The only restaurant that serves Italian food caught on fire.