Category Archives: Commas
Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 7
Commas Used with Appositives. I think we’re coming to the end of comma-use tips. Because I’m trying to explain some of the more technical uses that often snag writers, I don’t think I’ll address their placement in dates and addresses. … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 6
Commas Used in Elliptical Constructions. Commas indicate a slight pause. In an elliptical construction—a sentence in which a word has been left out—commas usually fill in the gap. Usually! There is the dreaded exception—sometimes the meaning is clear without the … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 5
Commas Used in Complex Sentences. In Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 2 I discussed commas used in compound sentences. Since a compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses, I took the time to define and provide examples of … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 4
Commas Used with Non-restrictive Phrases. Recently I accepted a friend invitation on Facebook from a writer who co-authored a book on punctuation! For those who struggle with the mechanics of writing, John Shore and Richard Lederer’s Comma Sense: A Fun-damental … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 3
Commas Used with Parenthetical Expressions. I had no intention of staying away so long. Computer problems brought on my absence, then blogging about punctuation slid toward the bottom of the list of priorities as I scrambled to catch up. I … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 2
Commas Used in Compound Sentences. Comma confusion and conjunctions seem to shadow one another. For now let’s address coordinating conjunctions, specifically the “Big Three” which are the most common—and, but, or. These conjunctions join “words or groups of words of … Continue reading
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Punctuation Pitfalls – The Comma, Part 1
Commas Used to Separate Items in a Series. When I taught school, no punctuation mark gave students more trouble than the comma. I saw the same tendency in my first critique group, but I also learned one reason why the … Continue reading
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