Grammar Rules- Commas

• Commas are used to separate items in a list, note a pause in a sentence, assist a conjunction in connecting two sentences together, set apart non-essential clauses from a sentence, note an ‘appositive’, and separate items in dates or addresses.

Commas- Items in a list

• When there are three or more items in a list, put a comma after each item except the last.– EXAMPLE: Sharon went to the store and

bought apples, oranges, peaches, and pears for dessert.

Commas- Pausing for yes, no, and um

• A comma goes after yes, no, and um in a sentence.– EXAMPLE1: Yes, we have a few bananas.– EXAMPLE2: Um, I don’t know the answer.

Commas- Used with conjunctions

• Two sentences may be combined with a “coordinating conjunction.”

• The coordinating conjunctions are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (FANBOYS)– EXAMPLE: Sharon went to the store, and she

bought some groceries.

Commas- Marking an appositive

• An “appositive” is a word that renames something else in a sentence.

• Appositives are surrounded by a comma on each side.– EXAMPLE1: Mrs. Costisick, a teacher at

MCHS, teaches her students grammar.– EXAMPLE2: That teacher over there, Mr.

Robbins, is the football coach.

Commas- Dates and Addresses

• A comma is placed after the day and before the year in a date.– EXAMPLE: July 4, 1776

• A comma is placed after a city and before a state in an address.– 735 E. Main St. Lebanon, KY 40033