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Items in a Series

Use Commas to Separate Items in a Series (Words, Phrases, Clauses)

Words - Dad's garden produced carrots, beans, and cucumbers.
Phrases - Irene walked around the corner, across the street, and to the store.
Clauses - I want to know who will be there, how long the event will last, and how much food will cost.

Author Example:

Cold, dark, and windowless, it stretched the length of the house. (West)

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Items in a Series w/o Commas

If all items in a series are joined by and, or, or nor, do not use commas to separate them.

Author Example:

Twisting and punching and kicking, the two boys rolled across the floor. (Duncan)

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Separating Adjective before Nouns

Use Commas to Separate TWO or more adjectives when they come before a noun.

Ten hungry, chirping birds landed near our picnic blanket.

Author Example:

In the shallows, the dark, water-soaked sticks and twigs, smooth and old, were undulating in clusters on the bottom against the clean ribbed sand. (White)

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Comma Practice

__ 1. I need to bake a cake wrap presents and make dinner reservations.

__ 2. I decided to order a large pepperoni pizza for dinner.

__ 3. We have a test in English and geography and Spanish on Wednesday.

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Compound Sentences

Use Commas before FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it joins independent clauses in a compound sentence.

Ariel took her umbrella, for it looked like rain.
Susan went to a movie, and Jason went to an arcade.
I like grapes, but I don't like raisins.

Author Example:

She made stuffed pork chops with applesauce and mashed potatoes, and it tasted like cardboard. (McCourt)

ADD TO NOTES:

I like playing basketball at the park and running around the soccer fields.

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Comma Practice

__ 1. Sharon is really excited about her upcoming birthday but she doesn't know what her present will be.

__ 2. I need to go to the party supply store and buy several items for Sharon's surprise birthday party.

__ 3. Should order a birthday cake or should we order cupcakes?

__ 4. I am sure that Sharon is excited about the party for she loves music balloons and birthday presents.

__ 5. I purchased several bright colorful balloons and had a special chocolate cake designed just for her.

__ 6. Do you think she'll like her new car the best or will she prefer her brand-new designer wardrobe?

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Introductory Elements (Word)

Use Commas with Certain Introductory Elements

Word(s)

Mild Exclamation

Yes, I love getting books as presents.

Opening Adjective(s)

Powerless, we witnessed the sacking of our launch. (Boulle)
Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. (Sperry)

Opening Adverb

(HOW) Unfairly, we poked fun at him, often in his presence. (Miller)
(WHEN) Then, Harry felt as though an invisible pillow had quite suddenly been pressed over his mouth and nose. (Rowling)
(WHERE) Outside, I found a taxi. (Angelou)

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Intro Elements - Practice

1) At hockey practice on Monday we played several games.

2) At the store in Orono we bought groceries.

3) In the middle of the night on Tuesday a huge storm disrupted my sleep.

4) No I will not be your valentine.

5) Sleepily the student shuffled into class.

6) After class you need to report to the main office.

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Comprehensive Practice

1) Yes the whiny ungrateful child is getting a timeout.

2) Well I think it is weird that I am teaching commas in a math classroom but I guess it's what I have to do today.

3) On the way to the Black Hills we stopped at the famous city known as Wall.

4) You need your reading book composition notebook and a pencil in English today for we will be reading and writing.

5) I think we'll go to Target stop at the bank and eat lunch at Panera.

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1) The wet dirty dog ran into the house.

2) I like pepperoni pineapple and pear on my pizza.

3) Quietly I walked into the room.

4) Well I think you should go to the doctor.

5) I drank orange juice but it had pulp.

6) On the way to the game we stopped for dinner.

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1) I have to go to the bank buy noodles and wash my car.

2) At the gas station I will buy granola bars candy and Gatorade.

3) When I woke up my tired unemotional body told me to stay in bed.

4) I like donuts but I like bacon more.

5) I saw the sweetest cutest puppy at the mall.

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I wish I had a dog cat and horse.

Help yelled Charlie but he was alone with the snakes.

I ate a delicious yummy strawberry.

After dinner I watched television.

At night the homeless take to the streets.

I went to the store and I bought ice cream.

Tired I made my way upstairs.

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Introductory Elements (Phrase)

Use Commas with Certain Introductory Elements

Phrase

Prepositional Phrase

At the bend in the road, turn right.

Participial Phrase

Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelves. (Rowling)

Infinitive Phrase

To keep ourselves from going crazy from boredom, we tried to think of word games. (Kingsolver)

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Introductory Elements (Clause)

Use Commas with Certain Introductory Elements

Clause

Although good looks may rally one's attention, a lasting sense of a person's beauty reveals itself in stages. (Ackerman)
Although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones. (Jackson)

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Dancing in the hallway Susan was embarrased when she was discovered.

Tired from a long day at school the teacher collapsed when she got home.

Running through the hallway, Jack jumped over a pencil.

Walking through the alley she was frightened by a shadow.

Walking through the door she slipped.

Trampled by the hoard of people the boy lay crippled.

Introductory Participial Phrase Examples

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Introductory Infinitive Phrase Examples

To water the garden you need to use a sprinkler.

To maintain his balance Greg held onto the railing.

To make a cake Jim had to buy materials.

To win the game the team maintained possession.

To do well on the test he studied.

To be the best at basketball you have to practice.

To run in the race you must train.

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Introductory Subordinate Clause Examples

When I was a Target I bought new pens for school.

If I stop at Caribou I usually order a hot chocolate.

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Interrupters

Use Commas to Set off an Expression that Interrupts a Sentence

Nonessential Participial Phrase

The holiday party, planned for months, is on Thursday.
The sun was coming over the ridge now, glaring on the whitewash of the houses and barns, making the wet grass blaze softly. (Steinbeck)
Around her waist was a wide pink ribbon, tied in the back with a bow. (Brittain)

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Interrupters (cont.)

Use Commas to Set off an Expression that Interrupts a Sentence

Nonessential Subordinate Clause

My favorite aunt, who is a teacher, will drive the bus.
Delicatessens on Saturday night, when all other stores are shut, will overcharge you ferociously. (Bellow)

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Interrupters (cont.)

Use Commas to Set off an Expression that Interrupts a Sentence

Nonessential Appositive/Appositive Phrase

Jason's younger brother, Steve, is eight years old.
Mr. Thompson, Dad's new boss, will be an umpire.
Percival, the smallest boy on the island, was mouse-colored and had not been very attractive even to his mother; Johnny, his brother, was well-built, with fair hair and a natural belligerence. (Golding)

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1. At the end of the week I look forward to watching television going out to dinner and reading a good book.

2. Yes I do enjoy delicious warm beverages like hot chocolate and apple cider.

3. When I walk around the lake I see squirrels climbing trees and I hear ducks quacking in the water.

4. To be the best at basketball you have to practice shooting regularly and you also have to weight train.

5. The teachers who are out of class today are attending a interesting meaningful conference.

6. Lilies which happen to be my favorite flower are often used in wedding bouquets.

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Interrupters (cont.)

Use Commas to Set off an Expression that Interrupts a Sentence

Parenthetical Expression

The car, by the way, will be ready to pick up at noon.
On the other hand, we could go to Applebee's for lunch.

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Interrupters (cont.)

Use Commas to Set off an Expression that Interrupts a Sentence

Direct Address

Jason, do you want to go to a movie this weekend?
Do you, Jason, want to go to a movie this weekend?
Do you want to go to a movie this weekend, Jason?

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Semi-colons

Use a semicolon between independent clauses in a sentence when they are not joined by and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet.

On our first trip to Houston, I wanted to see the Astrodome; my little brother wanted to visit the Johnson Space Center.

Use a semicolon between independent clauses that are joined by a conjunctive adverb or a transitional expression.

English was Lou's hardest subject; accordingly, he gave it more time than any other subject.

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Semicolons (cont.)

Use a semicolon between independent clauses that are jouned by a conjunctive adverb or a transitional expression.

English was Lou's hardest subject; accordingly, he gave it more time than any other subject.

accordingly furthermore instead nevertheless

besides however meanwhile otherwise

consequently indeed moreover therefore

as a result for example for instance in fact

in addition in other words in conclusion

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Colons

Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions like as follows or the following.

Minimum equipment for camping is as follows: a bedroll, utensils for cooking and eating, warm clothing, sturdy shoes, a pocketknife, and a rope.
She wrote of many things: her new curtains, the hot summer, her newly remodeled kitchen.

DO NOT USE A COLON BETWEEN A VERB AND ITS SUBJECT or A PREPOSITION AND ITS OBJECT.

wrong: On our farm, we grow: wheat, alfalfa, and soybeans.

right: On our farm we grow three crops: wheat, alfalfa, and soybeans.

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Colons

Use a colon before to clarify a preceding statement.

When he reached the door, he realized what had attracted him: the smell of food.
This was what I feared when I lifted the dark-green shade:I feared a face outside the window, dead eyes looking in at me as I pulled out of sleep. (Gordan)

Use a colon before a formal direct quote.

It was left to me to state the conclusion: "It is clear from what we have heard here tonight that this pipeline should have never been built.

Use a colon between the hour and the minute.

11:05 12:36 9:15