Comma placement which

The comma was originally invented in order to avoid confusion in sentences; however, since it can be used in so many different ways, students are often confused as to when to use it and where it should be placed. Many students have been taught, for example, that a comma should be placed wherever the reader pauses. The problem with this reasoning is that each reader might pause at a different place in the sentence. This section is intended to provide some instruction on the basic grammar rules that determine when and where the comma is commonly placed.

These rules speak to the common errors that most students make when placing the comma. There are additional comma rules, but they are less troublesome for most students; therefore, they are not covered here. However, it is necessary to write a lot of papers in college courses. Therefore, it is useful to know where to place the comma. Rule: Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction and, but, yet, so, or nor, for when it joins two complete ideas independent clauses.

Rule: Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase. A comma tells readers that the introductory clause or phrase has come to a close and that the main part of the sentence is about to begin. Rule: Use a comma to separate each item in a series; a series is a group of three or more items having the same function and form in a sentence.

Rule: Use commas to enclose clauses not essential to the meaning of a sentence. These nonessential clauses are called nonrestrictive. Clauses which are essential are called restrictive. Both restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses may begin with a relative pronoun such as who, whom, whose, that, which. A relative pronoun refers to the noun or pronoun that precedes it. Rule: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames a nearby noun.

Appositives offer nonessential information. The envelope in, which the letter arrived had no return address. The envelope in which the letter arrived had no return address. The platform on, which we built our program is very stable. The platform on which we built our program is very stable. Which bus should I take? But when a sentence contains an indirect question, which might not be the first word.

Apples , which are my favorite fruit, are the main ingredient in this recipe. Professor Benson , grinning from ear to ear, announced that the exam would be tomorrow.

Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series. The Constitution establishes the legislative , executive , and judicial branches of government. The candidate promised to lower taxes , protect the environment , reduce crime , and end unemployment. The prosecutor argued that the defendant, who was at the scene of the crime , who had a strong revenge motive , and who had access to the murder weapon , was guilty of homicide. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun.

Be sure never to add an extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives. Coordinate adjectives are adjectives with equal "co"-ordinate status in describing the noun; neither adjective is subordinate to the other. You can decide if two adjectives in a row are coordinate by asking the following questions:. If you answer yes to these questions, then the adjectives are coordinate and should be separated by a comma.

Here are some examples of coordinate and non-coordinate adjectives:. The 1 relentless , 2 powerful 3 summer sun beat down on them. The 1 relentless , 2 powerful , 3 oppressive sun beat down on them. Both and are coordinate. Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift.

Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be placed anywhere in the sentence without causing confusion. If the placement of the modifier causes confusion, then it is not "free" and must remain "bound" to the word it modifies. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates except the month and day , addresses except the street number and name , and titles in names. When you use just the month and the year, no comma is necessary after the month or year: "The average temperatures for July are the highest on record for that month.

In , Marx wrote , "Workers of the world, unite! Commas in the wrong places can break a sentence into illogical segments or confuse readers with unnecessary and unexpected pauses.