COMMAS JOIN ITEMS IN LISTS
I used water, lemons, and sugar to make lemonade.
Items in a list must be joined with
commas. Use the word “and” before
the last word.
I need a piece of paper, a pen, and a pencil.
Candy, cake, and ice cream are sweet.
Two items are not a list. They are
joined by the word “and” without a
comma.
I need paper and pens.
Candy and cake are sweet.
TWO SENTENCES CAN BE JOINED BY A COMMA AND ONE OF THE F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.
THE F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. ARE “FOR,” “AND,” “NOR,” “BUT,” “OR,” “YET,” AND “SO.”
Two separate sentences
I don’t like the music. I am going to
see the show.
Cats are beautiful. Dogs are friendly.
Joined into one sentence
I don’t like the music, but I’m going to
see the show.
Cats are beautiful, and dogs are friendly.
COMMAS CAN JOIN A DESCRIPTION TO A PERSON, PLACE, OR THING
Information as part of the sentence
Jennifer Lawrence is an Academy award nominee. She is set to star in The Hunger Games trilogy.
Sagittaria is a genus of plant. Saggitaria is also known as Katniss.
Information joined with a comma before and after
Jennifer Lawrence, an Academy Award nominee, is set to star in The Hunger Games trilogy.
Sagittaria, a genus of plant, is also known as Katniss.
COMMAS JOIN “WHICH” CLAUSES TO SENTENCES
The word “which” introduces information that is
always true of the thing being described. Use a comma
before “which.”
America uses a lot of gas, which is a petroleum product.
Apple makes the iPad, which remains the best selling tablet.
The word “that” tells you that you are only talking
about a particular part or kind of the thing being
described. Do not use a comma with “that.”
America uses a lot of gas that is imported.
He has an iPad that has a yellow cover.
COMMAS JOIN QUOTATIONS TO SENTENCES
“I don’t know,” I said, “but I’ll find out.”
“She’s not very nice,” I replied.
COMMAS CAN JOIN A FRAGMENT TO THE BEGINNING OF A SENTENCE
If you are putting a sentence fragment first, use a
comma.
After the rain stopped, I planted flowers.
Because I want to be in shape, I am exercising every day.
If the sentence fragment comes after the part that can
stand on its own, do not use a comma.
I planted flowers after the rain stopped..
I am exercising every day because I want to be in shape.
