2. Use a comma and a coordinate
conjunction to form a compound
sentence.
Suzy walked to school
but it was not far.
3. Use a comma after a long
introductory phrase.
Without a thought for his own
safety Nathan rescued the dog.
4. Use a comma
after an introductory dependent
clause.
Although Alan
followed the instructions
he still could not fix
his computer.
5. Use commas between items in a
series.
Scott bought burgers chips
and a drink at the game.
6. Although the comma before the conjunction is
usually optional, it must be present if the
items contain more than one word.
Scott bought a burger with onions Coo
Ranch Doritos and a cherry slurpy.
7. Use a comma
between coordinate
adjectives.
Sally rested her arm on the thin
green leather book as she
8. Do not use
commas in front of
a common usage.
The agile speedy baseball
player scooped up the grounder
9. Use commas to set
off nouns of direct
address.
I told you Jack that I am faster
than you.
10. Use commas to set
off parenthetical
elements.
Sally of course was able to
start the computer herself.
11. Use commas to set off a non-restrictive
appositive.
Mr. Ingerson our world
history teacher often
must act as an umpire in
departmental meetings.
12. Do not use commas to set off a restrictive
appositive.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird
was the only book ever published
by author Harper Lee.
13. Use commas to set off a non-restrictive adjective
clause.
To Kill a Mockingbird which was
written by Harper Lee is the only
book she ever published.
14. Do not use commas to set off a restrictive
adjective clause.
The man who is
juggling is my brother.
15. Use commas with dates.
Jeremy left for Nags
Head on August 28
2000 for one last
weekend at the
beach.
16. Use commas with addresses.
Majid’s family lived at
563 Linden Avenue Chicago
Illinois 62931 when he was
born.
