50 min
Punctuation: Сommas
1 topic
2 task
1.
Clauses connected with and, but or or are usually separated by commas unless they are very short.
- Jane decided to try the home-made steak pie, and Andrew ordered Dover sole with boiled potatoes.
- Jane had pie and Andrew had fish. (no comma)
- She had very little to live on, but she would never have dreamed of taking what was not hers.
- She was poor but she was honest. (no comma)
2.
After subordinate clauses, but NOT before them.
When a subordinate clause begins the sentence, it is often followed by a comma.
When a subordinate clause begins the sentence, it is often followed by a comma.
- If you are ever in London, come and see me.
- Come and see me if you are ever in London. (no comma)
3.
After adverbs/adverbials at the beginning of the sentence.
- Strictly speaking, you are in the wrong.
- Anyway, I must sign off as I need to get on with some work.
- Obviously, we shall reimburse you fully.
- Back in the year 2000, things were very different.
- In some countries, people still don't have enough to eat.
4.
Commas are NOT used before that, where, when, how etc.
- It is quite natural that you should want to meet your father.
- Everybody realised that I was a foreigner.
- They quickly explained what to do.
- I didn’t know where I should go.
5.
If words or expressions are put in unusual places or interrupt the normal progression of a sentence, we usually separate them off by commas.
- My father, however, did not agree.
- Jane had, surprisingly, paid for everything.
- We were, believe it or not, in love with each other.
- Andrew Carpenter, the deputy sales manager, was sick.
6.
Commas between adjectives
1
After be and other 'link verbs', commas are always used between adjectives.
- The cowboy was / looked tall, dark and handsome.
2
Before a noun, we generally use commas between adjectives which give similar kinds of information.
- This is an expensive, ill-planned, wasteful project.
- He's got big, bushy eyebrows.
3
Commas are sometimes dropped between short adjectives.
- a tall(,) dark(,) handsome cowboy
4
Commas cannot be dropped when adjectives or other modifiers refer to different parts of something.
- a green, red and gold carpet
- concrete, glass and plastic buildings
5
Commas are NOT normally used before a noun when adjectives give different kinds of information.
- Have you met our handsome new financial director?
7.
Commas are NOT used in identifying (defining) expressions.
When nouns are followed by identifying expressions which show exactly who or what is being talked about, commas are not used. In other words, if you remove any of the information between the commas, the sentence still makes complete sense. We don’t use commas where information can’t be removed.
When nouns are followed by identifying expressions which show exactly who or what is being talked about, commas are not used. In other words, if you remove any of the information between the commas, the sentence still makes complete sense. We don’t use commas where information can’t be removed.
- I spoke to the man who was on the front desk, but he was useless. (the phrase who was on the front desk identifies the man)
- The duty manager, who was new to your firm, was very unhelpful.
- The driver in the Ferrari was cornering superbly. (The phrase in the Ferrari identifies the driver.)
- Lawson, in the Ferrari, was cornering superbly. (The phrase in the Ferrari does not identify the driver; he is already identified by his name, Lawson.)
- The woman who was talking on the phone gave Parker a big smile.
- Mrs Grange, who was talking on the phone, gave Parker a big smile.
NB!
Note that WHICH following a comma may refer to the whole clause:
- I had to wait weeks for my order. That was very annoying.
- I had to wait weeks for my order, which was very annoying.
8.
We can use commas to separate items in a series or list. A comma is not usually used with and between the last two items unless these are long.
- I went to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. (no comma before AND)
- You had a holiday at Christmas, at New Year and at Easter. (no comma before AND)
- I spent yesterday playing cricket, listening to jazz records, and talking about the meaning of life.
9.
A comma is generally used between a reporting expression and a piece of direct speech.
If a reporting expression follows a piece of direct speech, we usually put a comma instead of a full stop before the closing quotation mark.
- He said, 'There's no way we can help her'.
If a reporting expression follows a piece of direct speech, we usually put a comma instead of a full stop before the closing quotation mark.
- 'I don't like this one bit,' said Julia.
7.
Commas are used to divide large numbers into groups of three figures, by separating off the thousands and millions.
We do not always use commas in four-figure numbers, and they are never used in dates.
Spaces are sometimes used instead of commas.
- 6,435
- 7,456,189
We do not always use commas in four-figure numbers, and they are never used in dates.
- 3,164 or 3164
- the year 1946
Spaces are sometimes used instead of commas.
- There are 1 000 millimetres in one metre.
NB!
Use points rather than commas in decimals.
- 3.5 = three point five OR three and a half
END OF GUIDE
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