Unless you are writing a formal letter, in which you would use a colon at the end of the salutation -- Dear Sir or Madam: or To the Editor: -- you would use a comma after the recipient's name: Dear Mephistopheles, At the end of the letter, a comma would come after the signoff and before your name: Eternally yours,
Jul 02, 2019 · 1. Do not use a comma between the subject and verb of a sentence. WRONG: The student who got the award, studied an average of eight hours a day. (Student is subject; studied is verb. Comma is between them.) RIGHT: The student who got the award studied an average of eight hours a day. (Notice no comma here)
Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how you’re using and.There’s no single rule that applies to all situations. You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses.It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.. Comma Before And in Lists. A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a …
Jan 14, 2021 · Sometimes a comma is necessary after an introductory phrase. Other times, the comma is optional, and there are also times when a comma should not be used. It is important to note that a comma should always be used if the sentence could be misinterpreted otherwise. Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up.
We use of course to refer to things that are obvious or already known to the speaker and listener, or to everybody: A tropical climate is, of course, very humid, so we sweated all the time. (We use commas here, before and after of course, to show that it refers to the whole of the first clause.)6 days ago
Though a comma can usually follow an introductory adverbial phrase like “of course,” such a comma is also usually optional (see CMOS 6.31). Of course, setting off a phrase like “of course” will emphasize the phrase itself. But to shift the emphasis to include the words that follow, you should omit the comma.
Commas (Eight Basic Uses)Use a comma to separate independent clauses. ... Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase. ... Use a comma between all items in a series. ... Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses. ... Use a comma to set off appositives. ... Use a comma to indicate direct address. ... Use commas to set off direct quotations.More items...
Most of the time, you should not use a comma before because when it connects two clauses in a sentence. Because is a subordinating conjunction, which means that it connects a subordinate clause to an independent clause; good style dictates that there should be no comma between these two clauses.
Place commas after introductory words in a sentence, such as “Usually,” “Certainly,” “However,” “Therefore,” “Nonetheless” and “Fortunately.”
Commas are used to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series. This means that when three or more items are being listed in a sentence, a comma goes between each item in the list. For example: John went to the grocery store and bought bread, milk, butter, macaroni and cheese.Dec 21, 2021
Five Comma RulesUse a comma after an introductory phrase or clause. ... Use commas before and after a parenthetical phrase or clause. ... Use a comma to separate two independent clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor or, so, yet) ... Use a comma to separate items in a series.More items...
The comma , is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. It has the same shape as an apostrophe or single closing quotation mark (') in many typefaces, but it differs from them in being placed on the baseline of the text.
When you have two independent clauses joined together by and, most style guides say that it’s OK to leave the comma out as long as the two independent clauses are very short and closely connected. Here’s an example: Arthur cooked and Melvin cleaned.
There’s no single rule that applies to all situations. You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.
When you list your dog’s qualities, you have to use a comma after each quality you list except the one that comes immediately before and. That comma is optional. The dog is young, well trained, and good natured. The dog is young, well trained and good natured.
The sentence is correct with or without the comma before and. ( There are a few exceptions that require you to use the Oxford comma in a list, but they are pretty rare.) Just be consistent. Don’t switch back and forth in the same document between using the Oxford comma and not using it.
Don’t use a comma before and when one of the clauses it’s connecting is a dependent clause. Sam tossed the ball, and watched the dog chase it. The first clause, Sam tossed the ball could stand on its own as a complete sentence, which means it’s an independent clause.
You should not use a comma before and if you’re only mentioning two qualities. The dog is well trained, and good natured. The dog is well trained and good natured. This is true for proper names, ordinary nouns, verbs, or anything else.
The sentence above contains two independent clauses, so it requires a comma before and. (By the way, you can tell they’re independent clauses because each one could stand on its own as a complete sentence.) Here’s a tip: Remember, when you’re joining two independent clauses, you need both a comma and a conjunction.
When your introductory phrase actually contains two prepositional phrases, it’s best to use a comma. In the examples below, the introductory phrase contains two prepositional phrases: “during the production” and “of the film.”. During the production of the film the director nearly quit.
When to Use Commas After Introductory Prepositional Phrases. When an introductory prepositional phrase is very short (less than four words), the comma is usually optional. But if the phrase is longer than four words, use a comma.
An appositive phrase is a phrase that renames the subject of the sentence. For example, the highlighted phrase in the sentence below is an appositive phrase because it renames the subject: Kate, an only child , demands a lot of attention. There are two types of appositive phrases: restrictive and nonrestrictive.
In this case, the appositive is restrictive because it is necessary for the reader to know which opera singer had myopia. Sometimes, a restrictive appositive phrase acts as an introductory phrase. In these instances, don’t use a comma to separate the phrase from the subject that it renames.
A restrictive appositive phrase is one that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive appositive phrase isn’t necessary but simply adds information to the sentence.
An introductory phrase is like a clause, but it doesn’t have its own subject and verb; it relies on the subject and verb in the main clause. It sets the stage for the main part of the sentence. When you use an introductory phrase in your writing, you’re signaling to the reader that the central message of the sentence is yet to come.
Here’s a tip: Commas can be tricky, but they don’t have to trip you up. Grammarly’s writing assistant can help you make sure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are tip-top on all your favorite websites. Try Grammarly for free.
Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma include participial and infinitive phrases, absolute phrases, nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases (over four words). Having finished the test, he left the room. To get a seat, you'd better come early.
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.
Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class. If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor.
9. 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. Birmingham, Alabama, gets its name from Birmingham, England. July 22, 1959, was a momentous day in his life.
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.)
1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet. The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave. The student explained her question, yet the instructor still didn't seem to understand.
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.
Here's an example of a sentence that contains a parenthetical phrase (one that is not essential to the framing sentence): "Skye's sentence, which has no parenthetical phrase, needs no commas." Remove it, and the essential meaning of the sentence is preserved: "Skye's sentence needs no commas."
You use paired commas to set off a parenthetical. Findings show that there is increased blood flow to the brain. If you want to insert "during the initial stages of love" as a parenthetical, you set it off with commas, hence: Findings show that, during the initial stages of love, there is increased blood flow to the brain.
So "during the initial stages of love" is not a parenthetical phrase. You use paired commas to set off a parenthetical. Findings show that there is increased blood flow to the brain. Findings show that, during the initial stages of love, there is increased blood flow to the brain.