How to Use a Comma in Writing

The comma is a wonderful little curl of a mark that is used for any one of a number of reasons. Sometimes a comma is used to signify a pause, while other times it is used to prevent confusion. Read the following steps to help you determine the correct way to use a comma.

Instructions

1. Use a comma to list items. Insert a comma to separate items that are part of a list. For example: "For dinner we ate chicken, mashed potatoes, and string beans".

2. Use a comma to place emphasis on a noun. Use a comma to emphasize an adjective that describes a noun. For example: "She used to be a short, skinny child".

3. Use a comma to separate independent clauses. Use a comma when there are two sentences that are linked together by a preposition: and, but, or, for, not, and yet. For example: "Julie invited John to her birthday party, but John decided he wouldn’t go".

4. Use a comma to separate an exclamation. For example: "Yes, I will be attending your wedding".

5. Use a comma to modify a sentence. Use a comma immediately after the modifier. For example, "therefore," "furthermore," and "however".

6. Use a comma to separate of an absolute phrase. For example: "With the weather being humid, I stayed in my air-conditioned house".

7. Use a comma to separate a clause that proceeds a subject. For example: "Whenever my joints ache and I feel tired, I know it’s going to rain". Note: if the sentence is short, leave the comma out.

8. Use a comma to offset an interruption. Insert a comma whenever a sentence is interrupted. For example: "My father, old-fashioned and strict, would never allow me to do that".

9. Use a comma to offset an unnecessary word, phrase, or clause. Use a comma whenever there is an unnecessary word, phrase, or clause. For example: "French fries, which I hate, are loaded with fat".

10. Use a comma to separate a word that is used to show contrast. Use a comma when there is a need to separate elements in a sentence that show contrast. For example: "My brother is sick, not lazy".