THOSE PESKY THOSE PESKY COMMAS!COMMAS!

8 COMMA RULES TO 8 COMMA RULES TO MAKE YOU A BETTER MAKE YOU A BETTER

WRITER WRITER

RULE #1RULE #1 IN A SERIES IN A SERIES

- - Use commas when two or more Use commas when two or more adjectives precede a noun; use a adjectives precede a noun; use a comma after each adjective, except the comma after each adjective, except the last onelast one. .

- - Use a comma after every item in a Use a comma after every item in a series of three or more.series of three or more.

RULE #2RULE #2 QUOTATION MARKSQUOTATION MARKS

- - Use commas to set off Use commas to set off explanatory words explanatory words (such as (such as Rachel saidRachel said, , replied Maggie, replied Maggie, announced Tim)announced Tim) of a of a direct direct quotationquotation..

RULE #3RULE #3 IN DATESIN DATES

--Use commas between the day Use commas between the day of the month and the year. of the month and the year.

--In a sentence, the comma In a sentence, the comma follows the year. follows the year.

RULE #4RULE #4 IN ADDRESSESIN ADDRESSES

-Use commas between the name -Use commas between the name of the city or town and the name of the city or town and the name of its state or country and the of its state or country and the rest of the sentence. rest of the sentence. --In writing the address in a In writing the address in a sentence, use a comma after each sentence, use a comma after each item item (Except between state and (Except between state and zip code). zip code).

RULE #5RULE #5 DIRECT ADDRESSDIRECT ADDRESS

--Use commas to set off the Use commas to set off the nouns of a direct address nouns of a direct address (or, (or, the name of someone directly the name of someone directly spoken to). spoken to).

RULE #6RULE #6 INTRODUCTORY INTRODUCTORY

WORDS/PHRASESWORDS/PHRASES- - Use commas to separate Use commas to separate introductory words or introductory words or phrases from the rest of phrases from the rest of the sentencethe sentence..

RULE #7RULE #7 APPOSITIVEAPPOSITIVE

- - Use commas to set off Use commas to set off appositives. appositives. An appositive is a An appositive is a noun or phrase that comes noun or phrase that comes immediately after another immediately after another noun that gives more noun that gives more information about that nouninformation about that noun..

RULE #8RULE #8 CONJUNCTIONSCONJUNCTIONS

-Use a comma before the Use a comma before the conjunction that joins two conjunction that joins two independent sentencesindependent sentences. . (Sentence = Subject + Verb)(Sentence = Subject + Verb)

Conjunctions = FANBOYS For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So