The document provides a comprehensive guide on proper comma usage, including rules for introductory clauses, modifiers, and essential versus nonessential elements. It emphasizes clarity in sentence structure and offers examples to illustrate when to use commas effectively. Additionally, it highlights the importance of grammar in professional settings, suggesting that attention to detail reflects competence in various tasks.

1. SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES
Jamie Sue Reed
North Carolina State University

2. Commas and:
1. Introductory clauses
2. Free modifiers
3. Major pauses
4. Coordinate and non-coordinate
adjectives
5. Nonessential and essential elements
6. Dates, places, addresses, titles
7. Series
8. Quotes
9. Independent clauses
Abuse of commas with:
10. Dependent clauses
11. Two verbs
12. Subject-verb
13. Compound subjects and objects

3. Common starter words for introductory clauses
that should be followed by a comma include: after,
although, as, because, if, since, when, while.
1) While I was eating the cat scratched at the door.
2) Because her alarm clock was broken she was late for class.
3) If you are sick you ought to see a doctor.
4) When the snow stops falling we'll shovel the driveway.
Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a
comma include:
5) Having finished the test he left the room.
6) To get a seat you'd better come early.
7) After the test but before lunch I went jogging.
8) Because the sun radiated intense heat we sought
shelter in the cafe.
Common introductorywords that should be
followed by a comma include: yes, however, well.
9) Well perhaps he meant no harm.
10) Yes the package should arrive tomorrow morning.
11) However you may not be satisfied with the results.
3
A
B
C
after, although, as, because,
if, since, when, while
SLIDE
3

4. Before we get
to the
next
slide…
you need
to know
what a
modifier is….

5. 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. You have to be careful with all modifiers
that you ensure clarity regarding placement of the comma
and clause.
Lisa waved at
Nancy laughing
joyously. (What’s the
problem?)
Nancy waved enthusiastically at the docking ship
laughing joyously. (This is better because Nancy is clearly
laughing, since ships do not laugh.)
Laughing joyously Lisa waved at Nancy.
(Here, Lisa is clearly laughing and this is no longer a free modifier,
but still needs to be offset by a comma.)
Lisa waved at Nancy who was laughing joyously.
SLIDE
5
LMAO!
1
2
3
4

6. Use a comma near the
end of a sentence to
separate contrasted
coordinate elements
or to indicate a
distinct pause or shift.
The recruiter was
merely ignorant
not stupid.
You're one of the
general’s close friends
aren't you?
The private
seemed innocent
even gullible.
SLIDE
6
The robot seemed
reflective
almost human.

7. You can determine if two adjectives in a row
are coordinate by asking these questions:
He was a difficult stubborn child.
Your cousin has an easy happy smile.
They lived in a white frame house.
She often wore a gray wool shawl.
SLIDE
7
Can you reverse the adjectives
and it still makes sense?
Can you write and between them
and it still makes sense?
Yes!

8. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to
set off clauses, phrases, or words that are not
essential to the sentence.
Use a comma before the pause and after the pause.
Is it nonessential? Ask these questions:
SLIDE
8
If you leave out the phrase,
or word, does the sentence
still make sense?
Does the phrase, or word
interrupt the flow of words
in the sentence?
Can you move it in the sentence?
Yes?
Then add a comma!

9. SLIDE
9
Clause: That sandwich,
which happens to have my
puppy in it, is the last
sandwich I had in my pantry.
Phrase: This restaurant has an exciting
atmosphere. The food, on the other
hand, is rather bland.
Word: I appreciate your hard work.
In this case, however, you seem to
have over-exerted yourself.
1
2
My niece, wearing a yellow
jumpsuit, is playing in the hall.
Apples, which are my favorite fruit,
are the main ingredient in this.
3 Fred, who often cheats, is just
hurting himself.

10. Do not use commas to set off essential
elements of the sentence, such as
relative clauses beginning with
“that." That clauses after nouns or verbs
expressing mental action are always
essential.
That clauses
after nouns:
The book that I
borrowed from
you is excellent.
The apples that
fell out of the
basket are
bruised.
SLIDE
10

11. That clauses after verbs expressing mental
action:
She believes that she will earn an A.
He is dreaming that he can fly.
I contend that it was wrong to mislead her.
They wished that warm weather would finally
arrive.
Other essential elements:
Students who cheat only harm themselves.
The guy wearing the red shirt is my nephew.
The candidate who had the least money lost
the election.
SLIDE
11

12. You need a comma between the day and year, and
after the year:
July 22,1959,was a momentous day in
his life.
When you use just the month and the year, no
comma is necessary after the month or year:
The average temperatures for July 1998 are
the highest on record for that month.
Birmingham, Ala., gets its name
from Birmingham, England.
SLIDE
12
These sculptures St.,were Raleigh,on a roof at
6300 Hillsborough N.C.
Jacob Hooker,PhD,graduate
of the College, was selected as
the first recipient of the Young
Alumnus Award in 2009.

13. Use commas between items and before the
last item in a list:
WORD
The Constitution establishes the
legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government.
PHRASE
The candidate promised to lower taxes,
protect the environment, reduce crime,
and end unemployment.
CLAUSE
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.
SLIDE
13

14. “ ”
Use a comma to shift between the
main discourse and a quotation.
John said without emotion,"I'll
see you tomorrow."
"I was able," she answered,"to
complete the assignment."
In 1848,Marx
wrote,"Workers
of the world,
unite!"
SLIDE
14
1
2
3

15. The last thing you hoped to learn when you signed
up for my class….
Independent
clause:
Dependent
clause:
Cannot stand
alone as a
sentence.
I went to the movies
with my boyfriend
and we had a rotten
time.
I dumped my
boyfriend and went
to the movies.
Can stand alone
as a sentence.

16. Use commas to separate independent
clauses when they are joined by any of
these seven coordinating conjunctions:
SLIDE
16
The game was over,
but the crowd
refused to leave.
The student
explained her
question,
yet the
instructor
still didn't
seem to
understand. Yesterday was her
brother's birthday, so
she bought him a puppy.
1
2
3
Can stand
alone as a
sentence.

17. Yes, I am doing this. I am showing you a graphic
illustration of comma abuse.
(No commas were actually harmed in the making of this illustration.)

18. Cannot stand
alone as a
sentence.
Don't put a comma before a dependent
clause except for cases of extreme contrast.
She was late for class,
because her alarm
clock was broken.
The cat scratched at the
door,while I was eating.
She was still quite upset,
although she had won the
Oscar.
SLIDE
18
(This comma use is correct
because it is an example of
extreme contrast)

19. Don't put a comma between
two verbs or
verb phrases.
SLIDE
19
We laid out our music
and snacks, and
began to study.
2
I turned the corner,
and ran smack
into a patrol car.
1

20. Don't use a comma
to separate
the subject from
the verb.
SLIDE
20
An eighteen-year-old
in California, is
now considered an
adult.
The most important
attribute of a ball
player, is quick
reflex actions.
1
2

21. I have two dogs and one cat.
Subject
verb
adjective
object
adjective
object
Compound object = More than 1 object.

22. Greg and I have two dogs.
Subject
linking word
subject
verb
adjective
object
Compound subject = More than 1 subject.

23. Don't put a comma between
a compound subject
or compound object.
Compound subject:
The music teacher
from your high school,
and the football
coach from mine
are married. Compound object:
job was still available,
and that the manager
wanted to interview me.
Jeff told me that the
SLIDE
23
1
2

24. 2
3
Where does the
missing punctuation
go in the following
pictures?
SLIDE
24
1

25. “Why I Won’t Hire
People Who Use
Poor Grammar”
KYLE WIENS
Harvard Business Review

26. Grammar signifies more
than just a person’s ability
to remember high school
English. I’ve found that
people who make fewer
mistakes on a grammar
test also make fewer
mistakes when they are
doing something
completely unrelated to
writing — like stocking
shelves or labeling parts.

27. In the same vein,
programmers who pay
attention to how they
construct written language
also tend to pay a lot more
attention to how they
code….
And just like good writing
and good grammar, when
it comes to programming,
the devil is in the details.
In fact, when it comes to
my whole business,
details are everything.

28. I hire people who care
about those details.
Applicants who don’t
think writing is
important are likely to
think lots of other
(important) things also
aren’t important.

29. That’s why people who
walk in the door
looking for a job are
given a grammar test.
Grammar is my litmus
test. All applicants say
they’re detail-oriented;
I just make my
employees prove it.

30. And I guarantee that
even if other companies
aren’t issuing grammar
tests, they pay attention
to sloppy mistakes on
résumés. After all…
sloppy is
as sloppy does.

31. 31