I have always hated commas, not because I don’t think they are important, but because I’ve never understood the rules. Growing up, it felt like the moment I understood one rule, another one would pop up. Or that I’d think I would understand, but come test time apparently I’m putting commas in all the wrong places.
They truly are the bane of my existence.
I’ve been working harder in recent years to actually learn the rules and be able to apply them. So, I created this quick guide on when to use a comma (and yes it’s almost as much for me as a reference source as for you).
Eight places where you should probably use a comma:
1. Lists: Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more. But Oxford commas (the ones before the “and”) are optional. Use at your discretion but use consistently no matter which way you chose. And Oxford commas are helpful when your list includes an “and” as one of the items.
Example: She brought swords, bows and arrows, and axes.
She brought swords, axes and daggers.
2. Compound sentences: Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) to connect independent clauses in a compound sentence. The rule here — if what comes after “but, and, or, etc.” could be its own sentence, then it needs a comma before the conjunction.
Example: I wanted to go to the party, but I had to study for my exam.
3. Introductory elements: Use a comma after introductory phrases, or words that come before the main part of a sentence.
Example: After finishing her assignment, Maria went for a walk through the dark streets of Asbendar.
4. Set off non-essential information: Use commas to set off non-essential information. These are like pulling the reader aside to tell them a bit of background info before you continue on with the sentence.
Example: The book, which was published last year, became a bestseller.
The weather, surprisingly, remained sunny throughout the day.
5. When addressing people: Use commas to set off the name of the person being directly addressed in a sentence.
Example: John, please don’t do this.
6. Adjectives: Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives that independently modify the noun, but not cumulative adjectives that build upon each other.
Example: He wore a long, red scarf. (Coordinate adjectives)
Example: She lived in a small white house. (Cumulative adjectives)
7. Dialog: Use commas at the end of dialog or quotations that are followed by a speaking tag.
Example: "I'll be there," she said.
8. Contrast or Emphasis: Use commas to set off words or phrases that provide contrast or emphasis in a sentence.
Example: It's not the end, it's just the beginning.
If you’re like me, these eight rules should give you a better idea of when to use commas in your novel and when to just leave it out. Though more often than not, leaving it out is the easy part.
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