C H A P T E R 4 5
Punctuation
coMMas
Use a comma to separate items in a series. A series is made up of three or more
nouns, verbs, modifiers, or phrases. If all items in the series are followed by and or
or, omit commas.
Squirrel, rabbit, and venison are the three kinds of meat originally in a burgoo.
Squirrel and rabbit and venison are the three kinds of meat originally in a
burgoo.Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives. Coordinate adjectives are two or
more adjectives that equally modify the same noun.
The weak, tottery patient fell in his hospital room.Omit the comma after numbers and after adjectives of size, shape, and age.
Six strong attendants carried him to his bed.Use a comma to separate two complete sentences joined by a conjunction (and,
but, or, nor, or for, and sometimes yet and so).
The CD player runs constantly, so Iām not surprised that it needs cleaning.Before you use a comma in front of a conjunction, be sure that the conjunction joins
two sentences, not two other compound parts, such as two verbs.
The Internet sites included good links, and Carolyn followed each one (con-
necting two sentences; use a comma with the conjunction).
The Internet sites included good links and led to some superb information
(connecting two verbs; use no comma).Set off nonrestrictive verbal phrases or adjective clauses with commas. Nonre-
strictive means not essential or not needed to limit the noun.
The man wearing the red flannel shirt won the hog-calling contest.
(The verbal phrase is restrictive, or essential, to identify which man.)