Franco/English 9

Comma Rules

Commas in Compound Sentences

• Sentences joined by FANBOYS

• FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

• ALL sentences joined with a FANBOY must be separated with a comma

• Jeff loves pizza, and Kelly prefers pasta.

Dependent Clauses

Commas & Dependent Clauses

• Dependent clauses may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence

• Dependent clauses at the start of a sentence are called introductory clauses

• Introductory clauses must be followed by a comma:

– Before I go shopping, I have to clean up.

– Since it was raining, we stayed inside.

• A dependent clause contains a subject and verb, but the clause cannot stand independently.

• Dependent clauses can often be identified by the use of dependent clause markers.

Some dependent clause markers:

1. because

2. since

3. when

4. while

5. until

6. if

7. as

8. though

9. although

10. unless

11. after

12. before

13. once

14. whether

Commas & Dependent Clauses, cont.

• Commas ONLY accompany a dependent clause if the dependent clause BEGINS the sentence.

EXAMPLES:

• I went on the roller coaster because my brother dared me.

• Because my brother dared me, I went on the roller coaster.

Sentence Structure:
Nonessential Phrases and Clauses

• A nonessential phrase or clause adds extra information to a sentence.

• This information can be eliminated from the sentence without jeopardizing the meaning of the sentence.

• Always place commas around nonessential phrases and clauses.

EXAMPLE:

• My brother, who lives across town, plans to throw a party!

• Even without the phrase, the sentence still makes sense: My brother plans to throw a party!

Commas in Lists

• Use commas in a list to divide items to avoid confusion

• Oxford comma (a.k.a. serial comma, Harvard comma)

– Use a comma before “and” in a series

– Example: I bought oranges, apples, and bananas.

Commas with Adjectives

• Use a comma between two adjectives that can be interchanged in order.

• Jack is a cranky, ungrateful man.

• Hint: If you can place an “and” between the adjectives, there needs to be a comma between them.