How to Use Commas Correctly

The Common Comma

The common comma can sometimes be the bane of a writers existence. Where does the pesky little thing go? Why does it go here and not there? Who cares, anyhow? My mom's philosophy on punctuation was to put a bunch at the top of the page and let the reader pick and choose which ones to put wherever he or she wanted. While that might make some writers happy, it will certainly not win any favors with editors (or readers for that matter). So, if the common comma is bothersome for you, read on. I have some tips to help you solve your comma capers!

Things You'll Need

• A manuscript or paper of some kind.
• A computer with Internet Access.

Instructions

1. Commas can be tricky, but one quick rule of thumb for using them is to read the sentence out loud. Take note of the natural pauses you make in the reading. These places are a likely spot to insert a comma. For example you would read the following sentence like this: "We went to the store (pause) bought milk and cheese (pause) then went back home." The sentence would look like this: "We went to the store, bought milk and cheese, then went back home."

2. Another thing to think about when wondering where to put the pesky comma is substituting the comma (or pause) with the word AND. We could have written the above sentence like this: "We went to the store and bought milk and cheese and then went back home." It would have been grammatically correct, but it is awkward -- replace two of the 'ANDs" with commas.

3. The serial comma is probably the most controverial one. I learned in Jounalism school (using AP formatting standards) that a comma does not belong in front of the word 'AND' because it is like pausing twice. Example: "We went to the store and bought milk, eggs and cheese." However, it is considered grammatically correct to put the second comma in like this: "We went to the store and bought milk, eggs, and cheese." Either way is correct, just check with the teacher, editor, or whomever is reading to see which method you should use. (See hint below in tips.)

4. Setting off phrases within a sentence with commas is easy if you think of it like this: can you take the entire phrase out without changing the grammatical structure of the sentence? If so, then it is appropriate to add commas. Example: "We went to the store, bought milk and eggs, then went home. -- take out the phrase within the commas: "We went to the store, then went home." (note the natural pause between store and then). The sentence is still correct without the phrase.

5. A comma splice occurs when a comma is placed incorrectly in between a noun and a verb. Example: "We, went to the store." 'We,' the noun, is separated from 'went,' the verb, causing a comma splice -- this is incorrect. Make sure there are no commas between nouns and their verbs.

6. There are tons of Websites where you can work on your comma capers - my favorite is the created by Purdue University's English department. I put the link in resources below for the comma page, but when you are there, check out all the grammar and punctuation information available. (By the way, I do NOT work for Purdue, nor have I ever been there -- this is just the best grammar Website I have found and I send my students there all the time.)

Tips & Warnings

• Various style guides (APA, AP, MLA, etc.) will have a different view on the serial comma. If you are writing for a magazine or newspaper, check with the editor to see which way he or she wants you to go. If you are writing for a teacher, check again. If you are writing for yourself (or eHow) use the serial comma method you prefer.

• The comma goes inside the quote marks (see how I did it in the steps above) not outside. In fact, all punctuation will go inside quote marks -- but that is another article. Watch for upcoming articles on the proper use of the apostrophe and the period.

Resources

• Online Writing Lab at Purdue University