Using Commas

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the standard uses of commas

Now that we’ve reviewed the concept of a complete sentence, let’s turn to commas.

A drawing of a comma.

Figure 1. Reading sentences that contain commas aloud can be helpful in determining if your comma usage is correct. More often than not, incorrect usage will result in a sentence that doesn’t sound quite right when spoken aloud.

What’s tricky about commas? There are so many different rules. It can be hard to decide which rule applies to the situation. Take this sentence:

  • My sister, loves to eat ice cream.

How can we decide if that comma is being used correctly?

One way to begin is to ask yourself whether the words surrounded by commas can be removed from the sentence. In this case, if we remove “My sister,” we are left with “loves to eat ice cream.”

That’s not a complete sentence, so that’s a clue that the comma there is wrong.

Let’s look at a different example:

  • My brother loves bike riding, swimming, and surfing.

If we remove swimming (between the two commas), we are left with “My brother loves bike riding and surfing.” That is a complete sentence, so that’s a clue that the commas here are correct.

Now practice by checking to see if you can remove what’s surrounded by commas and still have the sentence work.

Try It

 

Let’s try some more practice a different way. Take a look at these pieces of sentences using commas and decide whether you need to insert a full sentence or something else. Then, complete the sentence in your own way.

Our examples above are commas involving lists (wash your hands, cover our mouth, and stay home) or commas with compound sentences and conjunctions. (The dog is happy, and she will get a treat—two sentences combined with the conjunction and.)

Removing words also works with transition words and introductory phrases. Take this sentence:

  • After class, I feel so tired out.

What is that comma doing there? Is it correct? Try removing what comes before the comma.

  • I feel so tired out.

That still works as a sentence and it tells us the comma is correct. Take another sentence:

  • In the middle of the Covid-19 quarantine, I found myself struggling to keep my focus, and staying happy.

Here we have two commas. Let’s think about the first one. If we remove “In the middle of the Covid-19 quarantine,” we are left with “I found myself struggling to keep my focus and staying happy.”

That works as a sentence. However, if we remove “I found myself struggling to keep my focus,” we are left with “In the middle of the Covid-19 quarantine and staying happy.”

That does not work as a sentence. There is a problem with the second comma. We can just remove it.

  • In the middle of the Covid-19 quarantine, I found myself struggling to keep my focus and staying happy.

Now the sentence works if we remove the words before the comma.

Try It

Writing Workshop: Commas

Take a look at these parts of sentences and decide what you need to insert after the comma.

  1. During my last semester in college, __________________.
  2.  If I eat my favorite foods,  __________________.
  3. My favorite foods are pizza, ice cream, and _____.
  4. I need to drink coffee in the morning, but ______.