________________
POS
ERRORS
MECHANICS
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030
101
102
BARD
HOME
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1) Use commas after the parts of a
complete address in a sentence. The house number and
street form one part, as do the state and ZIP code number. Of course,
put commas between the city and the state, and put no commas between the
state and the ZIP code. (put commas at the end of each line on an
envelope).
Ex.
The store manager asked her new assistant to send the hefty package to
Dr. Alicia Raycroft, 4717 Bradford Street, Revere, Massachusetts 02151,
today.
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2) Use commas after the various parts
of a complete date. The month and the day form a
single part.
Ex.
On June 2, 1973, I went to California.
Ex.
On Thursday, April 5, 1956, we had a blizzard.
*EXCEPTION:
Use no comma after a date or an address that contains only one
part—unless, of course, the comma is necessary for some other reason.
(That happened in June of 1963.)
*EXCEPTION:
Also, use a period, not a comma, after the last part of a complete
address or date that ends a sentence. (He left on June 20, 1999.)
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3) Use a comma after the
salutation and the complimentary close of a friendly letter and
after the closing of a business letter. (salutations in business
letters are followed by colons instead of commas—To Whom It May
Concern:)
Ex.
Dear Susan, Yours affectionately, Very
truly yours,
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4) Use a comma to set off a noun
in direct address (someone you are directly addressing).
Ex.
James, Mother wants you. (speaking to James)
Ex.
Turn off the lights, Jill. (to Jill)
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5) Use a comma to set off an
appositive unless it is closely tied to the word it explains.
Ex.
Dawn, my pony, is in the barn. (interchangeable; pause; not
necessary) (*not necessary=commas)
*EXCEPTION:
The year 1941 will always be remembered by Americans. (no pause;
closely related—the year “1941” is necessary for the sentence’s meaning;
without it, the reader asks, “What year?”) (*necessary=no commas)
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6) Use a comma to set off the
exact words of a speaker from the rest of the
sentence—unless the sense of the sentence requires some other mark
(?!). Notice that end quotation marks come after the comma, not before
(most punctuation comes within the “”).
Ex.
“Why, yes,” Ellen answered, “I can help you now.”
Ex.
“What time is it?” she asked.
*EXCEPTION:
An indirect quotation needs no comma. (He said that Jane had
left.)
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7) Use commas to separate each
item in a series of (3+) words, phrases, or short clauses. Do not
forget the comma before the “and.”
Ex.
From Helen’s book dropped a pencil, a pen, and a stick of
chewing gum.
Ex.
We looked in the barn, in the cowshed, and in the corncrib.
Ex.
Gladys has gone to town, Mary is asleep, and Nancy is
jogging.
(an exception to the RUN-ON RULE regarding no more than 2 independent
clauses per sentence)
*EXCEPTION:
Use no comma between two or more words that are usually thought of as a
single item. (I like a picnic of hamburgers, pork and beans, and potato
chips.)
*EXCEPTION:
Use no comma in a series in which all the items are joined by “and” or
“or.” (Irma dances and sings and whistles very well.)
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8) Use a comma before the coordinating
conjunction that connects two independent clauses in a compound
sentence. (“FAN BOYS”)
Ex.
Bill should arrive today, but Alan will not be with him.
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9) Use a comma to set off
parenthetical elements; that is, words inserted between main
sentence parts but not necessary to the meaning (and can thus be
excised).
Ex.
This story, by the way, is true. You will, of course, agree.
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10) Use a comma after
yes, no, oh, of course, well, and other such introductory
expressions.
Ex.
Yes, there is a test on this material. Of course, you must
study.
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11) Use a comma after an
introductory dependent clause.
Ex.
If you want to see that concert, order your tickets as soon as
possible.
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12) Use a comma after an
introductory modifying phrase containing a participle (-ing,
-ed), a gerund (-ing as noun), or an infinitive (to +
verb).
Ex.
Feeling warm, I drank a glass of lemonade.
Ex.
Bored with the lecture, Jackie fell asleep and missed vital information that
was on the test.
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13) Use a comma between
co-ordinate adjectives before a noun
(2 adjectives
modifying the same noun AND “and” sounds right when placed between
them).
Ex.
This has been a clear, sunny day. (clear and sunny)
Ex.
Aunt Mary screamed, “Isn’t she such a cute little girl!” (not
cute and little girl) (she's not cute AND vertically challenged.)
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14) Use a comma to set off words that
are added to change statements into questions or exclamatory
sentences.
Ex.
We are going to the game, aren’t we?
Ex.
We showed them, didn’t we! (exceptions to the COMMA SPLICE RULE
regarding 2 independent clauses and a comma--here, separating statement
from question and exclamation)
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