Note that you also use a comma before a term of direct address as well as after one: Let’s eat, Grandma!
Originally shared by Grammar Girl
Here are 15 of the most common ways to use a comma.
Note that you also use a comma before a term of direct address as well as after one: Let’s eat, Grandma!
Originally shared by Grammar Girl
Here are 15 of the most common ways to use a comma.
I was taught you shouldn’t use a comma in large numbers, because in mainland Europe a comma is used instead of a full stop to denote a decimal point. You should use a space instead: 1 234. Admittedly, this was taught to me in maths and science rather than English, but is so deeply drilled into me I always want to correct it when I see a comma used that way.
But this is a really good list.
I was taught you shouldn’t use a comma in large numbers, because in mainland Europe a comma is used instead of a full stop to denote a decimal point. You should use a space instead: 1 234. Admittedly, this was taught to me in maths and science rather than English, but is so deeply drilled into me I always want to correct it when I see a comma used that way.
But this is a really good list.
I was taught you shouldn’t use a comma in large numbers, because in mainland Europe a comma is used instead of a full stop to denote a decimal point. You should use a space instead: 1 234. Admittedly, this was taught to me in maths and science rather than English, but is so deeply drilled into me I always want to correct it when I see a comma used that way.
But this is a really good list.
I was taught you shouldn’t use a comma in large numbers, because in mainland Europe a comma is used instead of a full stop to denote a decimal point. You should use a space instead: 1 234. Admittedly, this was taught to me in maths and science rather than English, but is so deeply drilled into me I always want to correct it when I see a comma used that way.
But this is a really good list.
I was taught you shouldn’t use a comma in large numbers, because in mainland Europe a comma is used instead of a full stop to denote a decimal point. You should use a space instead: 1 234. Admittedly, this was taught to me in maths and science rather than English, but is so deeply drilled into me I always want to correct it when I see a comma used that way.
But this is a really good list.
It is a good list to remind us of how comma use is changing. I do recall learning most of those instances in high school grammar. (Way back when)
In several of the above instances commas are being lost for reasons of maintaining flow while reading and ease of typing.
In the first example, general useage seems now to leave out commas between single descriptor words, making it “The American flag is red white and blue.” but keeping them for a list containing phrases and/or clauses. “The American flag has red stripes, white stripes, and white stars on a blue background.”
The third example generates a lot of discussion yes or no.
And, I wrote “…maintaining flow while reading, and ease of typing…” according to the list. Took out the comma to illustrate general use.
I’ve never seen a comma or a full stop for that matter after etc or eg.
It is a good list to remind us of how comma use is changing. I do recall learning most of those instances in high school grammar. (Way back when)
In several of the above instances commas are being lost for reasons of maintaining flow while reading and ease of typing.
In the first example, general useage seems now to leave out commas between single descriptor words, making it “The American flag is red white and blue.” but keeping them for a list containing phrases and/or clauses. “The American flag has red stripes, white stripes, and white stars on a blue background.”
The third example generates a lot of discussion yes or no.
And, I wrote “…maintaining flow while reading, and ease of typing…” according to the list. Took out the comma to illustrate general use.
I’ve never seen a comma or a full stop for that matter after etc or eg.
It is a good list to remind us of how comma use is changing. I do recall learning most of those instances in high school grammar. (Way back when)
In several of the above instances commas are being lost for reasons of maintaining flow while reading and ease of typing.
In the first example, general useage seems now to leave out commas between single descriptor words, making it “The American flag is red white and blue.” but keeping them for a list containing phrases and/or clauses. “The American flag has red stripes, white stripes, and white stars on a blue background.”
The third example generates a lot of discussion yes or no.
And, I wrote “…maintaining flow while reading, and ease of typing…” according to the list. Took out the comma to illustrate general use.
I’ve never seen a comma or a full stop for that matter after etc or eg.
It is a good list to remind us of how comma use is changing. I do recall learning most of those instances in high school grammar. (Way back when)
In several of the above instances commas are being lost for reasons of maintaining flow while reading and ease of typing.
In the first example, general useage seems now to leave out commas between single descriptor words, making it “The American flag is red white and blue.” but keeping them for a list containing phrases and/or clauses. “The American flag has red stripes, white stripes, and white stars on a blue background.”
The third example generates a lot of discussion yes or no.
And, I wrote “…maintaining flow while reading, and ease of typing…” according to the list. Took out the comma to illustrate general use.
I’ve never seen a comma or a full stop for that matter after etc or eg.
It is a good list to remind us of how comma use is changing. I do recall learning most of those instances in high school grammar. (Way back when)
In several of the above instances commas are being lost for reasons of maintaining flow while reading and ease of typing.
In the first example, general useage seems now to leave out commas between single descriptor words, making it “The American flag is red white and blue.” but keeping them for a list containing phrases and/or clauses. “The American flag has red stripes, white stripes, and white stars on a blue background.”
The third example generates a lot of discussion yes or no.
And, I wrote “…maintaining flow while reading, and ease of typing…” according to the list. Took out the comma to illustrate general use.
I’ve never seen a comma or a full stop for that matter after etc or eg.
That’s interesting too – I’d always put a comma between red and white in that list, but probably not include an Oxford comma. Some lists I’d use one and others not and I’m not sure what my internal rule is on that.
I wonder if my continued use of a comma in red, white and blue is a British thing or an age thing?
That’s interesting too – I’d always put a comma between red and white in that list, but probably not include an Oxford comma. Some lists I’d use one and others not and I’m not sure what my internal rule is on that.
I wonder if my continued use of a comma in red, white and blue is a British thing or an age thing?
That’s interesting too – I’d always put a comma between red and white in that list, but probably not include an Oxford comma. Some lists I’d use one and others not and I’m not sure what my internal rule is on that.
I wonder if my continued use of a comma in red, white and blue is a British thing or an age thing?
That’s interesting too – I’d always put a comma between red and white in that list, but probably not include an Oxford comma. Some lists I’d use one and others not and I’m not sure what my internal rule is on that.
I wonder if my continued use of a comma in red, white and blue is a British thing or an age thing?
That’s interesting too – I’d always put a comma between red and white in that list, but probably not include an Oxford comma. Some lists I’d use one and others not and I’m not sure what my internal rule is on that.
I wonder if my continued use of a comma in red, white and blue is a British thing or an age thing?
I confess to ignorance about an ‘Oxford comma’. Your red, white and blue might be a habit. I do it sometimes, sometimes not.
Mostly I insert commas according to habit/instinct, so old learnings carry me there too.
Some places I need to think, every time.
I confess to ignorance about an ‘Oxford comma’. Your red, white and blue might be a habit. I do it sometimes, sometimes not.
Mostly I insert commas according to habit/instinct, so old learnings carry me there too.
Some places I need to think, every time.
I confess to ignorance about an ‘Oxford comma’. Your red, white and blue might be a habit. I do it sometimes, sometimes not.
Mostly I insert commas according to habit/instinct, so old learnings carry me there too.
Some places I need to think, every time.
I confess to ignorance about an ‘Oxford comma’. Your red, white and blue might be a habit. I do it sometimes, sometimes not.
Mostly I insert commas according to habit/instinct, so old learnings carry me there too.
Some places I need to think, every time.
I confess to ignorance about an ‘Oxford comma’. Your red, white and blue might be a habit. I do it sometimes, sometimes not.
Mostly I insert commas according to habit/instinct, so old learnings carry me there too.
Some places I need to think, every time.
An Oxford comma is just a comma at the end of a list, before the ‘and’ that separates the final item. It can be useful for clarity – to say “this is a new item, not part of the old” – but is often considered snobby.
An Oxford comma is just a comma at the end of a list, before the ‘and’ that separates the final item. It can be useful for clarity – to say “this is a new item, not part of the old” – but is often considered snobby.
An Oxford comma is just a comma at the end of a list, before the ‘and’ that separates the final item. It can be useful for clarity – to say “this is a new item, not part of the old” – but is often considered snobby.
An Oxford comma is just a comma at the end of a list, before the ‘and’ that separates the final item. It can be useful for clarity – to say “this is a new item, not part of the old” – but is often considered snobby.
An Oxford comma is just a comma at the end of a list, before the ‘and’ that separates the final item. It can be useful for clarity – to say “this is a new item, not part of the old” – but is often considered snobby.
There’s flow, and then there’s clarity. If a missing comma makes a sentence ambiguous, you’ll lose flow while the reader puzzles out the meaning. I think of commas as being a way to bring rhythm to your sentences; if you leave out a comma that’s needed, it’s like a musician who can’t keep time.
And there are essential commas and nonessential commas. Not all of the examples in that post are absolutely essential, depending on the kind of material you’re writing, but some are, and if you follow those rules you won’t go wrong.
I go into essential and nonessential commas in more depth here: csidemedia.com – The Well-Presented Manuscript – Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional.
There’s flow, and then there’s clarity. If a missing comma makes a sentence ambiguous, you’ll lose flow while the reader puzzles out the meaning. I think of commas as being a way to bring rhythm to your sentences; if you leave out a comma that’s needed, it’s like a musician who can’t keep time.
And there are essential commas and nonessential commas. Not all of the examples in that post are absolutely essential, depending on the kind of material you’re writing, but some are, and if you follow those rules you won’t go wrong.
I go into essential and nonessential commas in more depth here: csidemedia.com – The Well-Presented Manuscript – Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional.
There’s flow, and then there’s clarity. If a missing comma makes a sentence ambiguous, you’ll lose flow while the reader puzzles out the meaning. I think of commas as being a way to bring rhythm to your sentences; if you leave out a comma that’s needed, it’s like a musician who can’t keep time.
And there are essential commas and nonessential commas. Not all of the examples in that post are absolutely essential, depending on the kind of material you’re writing, but some are, and if you follow those rules you won’t go wrong.
I go into essential and nonessential commas in more depth here: csidemedia.com – The Well-Presented Manuscript – Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional.
There’s flow, and then there’s clarity. If a missing comma makes a sentence ambiguous, you’ll lose flow while the reader puzzles out the meaning. I think of commas as being a way to bring rhythm to your sentences; if you leave out a comma that’s needed, it’s like a musician who can’t keep time.
And there are essential commas and nonessential commas. Not all of the examples in that post are absolutely essential, depending on the kind of material you’re writing, but some are, and if you follow those rules you won’t go wrong.
I go into essential and nonessential commas in more depth here: csidemedia.com – The Well-Presented Manuscript – Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional.
There’s flow, and then there’s clarity. If a missing comma makes a sentence ambiguous, you’ll lose flow while the reader puzzles out the meaning. I think of commas as being a way to bring rhythm to your sentences; if you leave out a comma that’s needed, it’s like a musician who can’t keep time.
And there are essential commas and nonessential commas. Not all of the examples in that post are absolutely essential, depending on the kind of material you’re writing, but some are, and if you follow those rules you won’t go wrong.
I go into essential and nonessential commas in more depth here: csidemedia.com – The Well-Presented Manuscript – Just What You Need to Know to Make Your Fiction Look Professional.
‘A light hybrid author,’ Mike Reeves-McMillan? There’s a phrase to stimulate interest.
‘A light hybrid author,’ Mike Reeves-McMillan? There’s a phrase to stimulate interest.
‘A light hybrid author,’ Mike Reeves-McMillan? There’s a phrase to stimulate interest.
‘A light hybrid author,’ Mike Reeves-McMillan? There’s a phrase to stimulate interest.
‘A light hybrid author,’ Mike Reeves-McMillan? There’s a phrase to stimulate interest.
I hope so.
What it means is an author who combines indie publication with selling short stories to magazines and anthologies (which is a kind of trad-pub, but not the rights-grabby, slow-turnaround, low-royalties kind that involves trying to sell your novel to big companies).
I hope so.
What it means is an author who combines indie publication with selling short stories to magazines and anthologies (which is a kind of trad-pub, but not the rights-grabby, slow-turnaround, low-royalties kind that involves trying to sell your novel to big companies).
I hope so.
What it means is an author who combines indie publication with selling short stories to magazines and anthologies (which is a kind of trad-pub, but not the rights-grabby, slow-turnaround, low-royalties kind that involves trying to sell your novel to big companies).
I hope so.
What it means is an author who combines indie publication with selling short stories to magazines and anthologies (which is a kind of trad-pub, but not the rights-grabby, slow-turnaround, low-royalties kind that involves trying to sell your novel to big companies).
I hope so.
What it means is an author who combines indie publication with selling short stories to magazines and anthologies (which is a kind of trad-pub, but not the rights-grabby, slow-turnaround, low-royalties kind that involves trying to sell your novel to big companies).
What you are doing too?
What you are doing too?
What you are doing too?
What you are doing too?
What you are doing too?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
As a Grandma who wouldn’t care to be eaten I unreservedly agree with your use of the comma to remove ambiguity in the OP example 🙂
As a Grandma who wouldn’t care to be eaten I unreservedly agree with your use of the comma to remove ambiguity in the OP example 🙂
As a Grandma who wouldn’t care to be eaten I unreservedly agree with your use of the comma to remove ambiguity in the OP example 🙂
As a Grandma who wouldn’t care to be eaten I unreservedly agree with your use of the comma to remove ambiguity in the OP example 🙂
As a Grandma who wouldn’t care to be eaten I unreservedly agree with your use of the comma to remove ambiguity in the OP example 🙂