Ok. I’m about to sound like a crazy grammar freak. Here goes.
Punctuation matters.
There. I said it because it really does matter.
I see punctuation used the wrong way quite often. Sometimes it isn’t used at all when it should be. Common punctuation mistakes make your writing harder to read and can even make it say something you didn’t mean to say. Scary thought, right?
You want your readers to understand what you’ve written. To help you avoid some of these mistakes, I’m writing a series on common punctuation mistakes and how to clean them up. And lucky you, the series starts right now.
Let’s talk about one of the most abused punctuation marks on the planet, the comma. This poor little guy seems to either be ignored completely or stuck willy-nilly in places he doesn’t belong.
Missing commas
Do you feel like you slow down a reader when you use commas? Or even distract them?
I’ve heard this excuse for leaving commas out. It’s an unfortunate train of thought—and an incorrect one.
When used properly, commas clarify meaning and show relationships. This is important because without commas, a sentence can become confusing. Here’s an example:
Since Becky went home early her boss couldn’t find her at her desk when he needed the report he asked for.
Or this:
As we sat down to eat the cat jumped on the table.
Now put commas in where they belong.
Since Becky went home early, her boss couldn’t find her at her desk when he needed the report he asked for.
As we sat down to eat, the cat jumped on the table.
See how much clearer those sentences become? And you didn’t slow the reader down at all. In fact, you avoid making them go back and reread a sentence because they’re confused by it. Plus, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to eat the cat. Ever.
So, where exactly do commas belong?
The general rules (and the ones I see broken most often) are:
- Use a comma to join independent clauses (sentences) separated by a conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet). Both clauses should be able to stand on their own.
Dave went to lunch, and Becky went to the post office.
- Use a comma after an introductory clause (not a complete sentence).
Before Dave left, he put all his personal stuff in a box.
- Use commas between items in a series.
Becky noticed Dave’s personal photos, plant, and awards were all missing.
- Use a comma between two adjectives that modify a noun separately.
Dave had finally had enough of his stressful, frustrating job.
- Use commas to set off nonrestrictive word groups. These word groups provide nonessential information that describes a noun or pronoun.
Becky wouldn’t be able to chat with Dave at work anymore, which made her also consider quitting.
More comma rules exist, but those listed above are the most crucial for clarity when writing.
Extra commas
Some people just love commas. Have you ever noticed that? They put them wherever they want, regardless whether they belong or not.
Some writers set off restrictive clauses with commas. This type of clause is a group of words necessary to the meaning of the sentence. It doesn’t need commas to set it off because it’s essential to the sentence. Here’s an example:
Drivers, who think they own the road, make the highways more dangerous.
The word group set off by commas is essential to the meaning of the sentence. Therefore, no commas are needed. Here’s the sentence written correctly:
Drivers who think they own the road make the highways more dangerous.
These instances also don’t require a comma:
- No comma after a coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor, but, for, so, and yet)
- No comma after “such as” or “like”
- No comma before “than”
- No comma after “although”
Serial comma or no serial comma?
The serial comma (or oxford comma) is hotly debated in some rather nerdy circles. I really have no preference, but I’ve chosen not to use the serial comma on my website or blog posts.
What the heck is this serial comma thing? Sorry. I assumed everyone was a nerd and cared about this.
The serial comma is the last comma used to separate items in a series. It comes before the “and” or “or” before the last item.
I had eggs, toast, and bacon for breakfast. (serial comma used after toast)
Some style guides, such as the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, omit the serial comma. Since I use AP style for my website, I don’t use the serial comma. I would write the sentence above this way:
I had eggs, toast and bacon for breakfast.
Both styles are correct, and neither is better than the other. It all comes down to personal preference. The key is to pick one and be consistent.
One thing to note: If omitting the serial comma causes confusion, always add it back in. If the series you’re separating with commas is long and complicated, you may find you need it. Always strive for clarity.
Don’t abuse or neglect the comma
Remember commas are your friends. But they’re not friends you want around when they don’t fit in.
We’ll take a look at all types of punctuation with this series in future posts, so make sure you follow the blog. See ya next time.