Writing a book, if i havent put you off already, is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Punctuation is the system of signs or symbols given to a reader to show how a sentence is constructed and how it should be read. John went for a jog, which took half an hour, before having a long hot shower. I have a question regarding the commas and periods quiz 1, on page 147 of the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a. Comma before and that joins two independent clauses the word and is a conjunction, and when a conjunction joins two independent clauses, you should use a comma with it. If you are writing for a british audience, put the comma after the closing quotation mark. Here are eight essential rules for punctuating dialogue correctly, so that your text communicates clearly and appears polished and professional. The third most oftvisited on this site, this page garnered close to 10,000 hits in the past thirty days.
In your own writing, you can decide for yourself whether to use it or notjust be consistent. The semicolon looks like a comma with a period above it, and this can be a good way to remember what it does. Hardcover books are more expensive, than paperback books. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a title.
Plus, of course, if you were using a typewriter, italics or boldface might not be available, and your emphatic typographic devices and symbols would probably be restricted to underlining, capitals, commas and unusual spacings. Twopart sentences of which the second member is introduced by as in the sense of because, for, or, nor, and while in the sense of and at the same time likewise require a comma before the conjunction. How do i write out the list so as to be clear about which commas are part of the titles and which are separating items in a list. Commas have very strict rules, so there is a very clear right and wrong in using. Some people put the comma before the and while others leave it out, but it definitely does not go after. If the sentence would not require any commas if the parentheses were removed, the sentence should not have any commas when the parentheses are present. Sep 02, 2007 our rule a of commas says, use commas to introduce or interrupt direct quotations. Introduce a statement that expands upon the clause before the colon. Use a comma before a conjunction that joins main clauses as a general rule, use a comma before a common conjunction and, but, yet, or, nor, for, so that links two main clauses. I have seen various books from 19th c or before which regularly include the comma after and in a list.
Yes, ting said i did see the baby panda at the zoo today. In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the phrase is not integral to the meaning of the sentence life after life, by kate atkinson, won several book awards if you remove the phrase, the meaning is the same. In this grammar lesson, i would like to talk about that crucial comma. Nov 18, 2019 with anything in quotation marks, the positioning of ending punctuation is a matter of style, usually split along the usual americanbritish fault line. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Look at the below sentence my friend john, who is a better painter than me, can do the walls for your home.
The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended, 2001. You do not put a space before a comma, but you do need a space after one. The proper place for the comma is before the conjunction. I have my college writing book right here, and it says to use the comma before and. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Quotation marks are used for components, such as chapter titles in a book, individual episodes of a tv series, songs from a broadway show or a music album, titles of articles or essays in print or online, and shorter works such as short stories and poems. Whether you should use a comma before or a fter but depends on the sentence construction.
Use commas when narration interupts or completes a sentence of place commas in between items in a simple series threes or mo place a comma before a coordinating conjunction and, but, or. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. When you use specific dates in a sentence, commas should be placed between the days and the years and after the years as well. The declaration of independence was signed on july 4, 1776, which led to the founding of the usa. Keep in mind, though, that occasionally the serial comma is necessary for clarity. Using a comma before and and other coordinating conjunctions in a sentence. The sentence is correct with or without the comma before and. Some that come to mind are life, the universe and everything. Commas can be some of the most confusing punctuation to work with, and no one understands that more than the editors at dog ear publishing. If the question refers to commas in a list of things, the answer is no. Do you use a comma before a title of a book in a sentence. Here, we have used a semicolon before and because the independent clauses contained their own commas. Dialogue has its own set of rules that can be tricky to keep straight.
Only use a comma to separate a dependent clause at the end of a sentence for added emphasis, usually when negation occurs. Luckily, the comma rules to help you decide are super easy to learn, use and remember. A semicolon creates more separation between thoughts than a comma does but less than a period does. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterin law in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma. Apr 20, 2015 to use bracketing commas, the sentence must make sense, and be grammatically correct, without the extra phrase or information. My friend jane has a lot more gardening experience than i do. This is because the sentence is talking about a particular person john. Normally there might be a slight pause at the commas when reading the sentence, but a slight pause when reading is not a reason to introduce a comma when the grammar does not require it. August 24, 2016, is the day i started my very first semester of college. Some people put the comma before the and while others leave it out, but it. The illusive comma is a sneaky little punctuation that often sneaks into the wrong places, so i decided to write a guide on how to use a comma in fiction. The correct answers are yes, there is, and no there isnt. The clause modified by who is additional information, so this is a.
There are conflicting policies and theories about how to show possession when writing such nouns. In mla style, a writer must make intext citations following a quotation. Here are two examples from the first book in the game of thrones series. There are lots of rules about comma usage, and often the factors that determine. There are a few exceptions that require you to use the oxford comma in a list, but they are pretty rare. Use a comma to set off introductory elements, as in running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked. How to separate a list of descriptions with commas dummies.
Geraldine woods has more than 35 years of teaching experience. Commas have very strict rules, so there is a very clear right and wrong in using them. And insufferable as they may sometimes be, i have to say i think the brits have this one right. The addition of commas gives extra emphasis to the name. This is acceptable for clarity, but its an oldfashioned writing style. For example, i want to list four book titles in a single sentence, but two of the books have commas in the titles. The serial comma is the comma before the final and in a series.
Proper punctuation is essential in written english to enable the reader to understand what it is you are trying to say. Using commas incorrectly may confuse the reader, signal ignorance of writing rules, or indicate carelessness. Anyway, i find nothing to object to in your use of commas in either sentence. Top 4 rules for using commas effectively thoughtco. Use commas after introductory a clauses, b phrases, or c words that come before the main clause. Sentences are the building blocks used to construct written accounts. The first thing to know is that there are generally only two correct options. He closed his novel the unnamable with a long sentence that ends. Whereas a comma is needed before and after the state in formulations such as new york, new york, when the city and state are used as the title of a work, no comma is needed following the name of the state, unless the grammar of the rest of the sentence requires it after watching the movie new york, new york, we went out to dinner. Wordiness and excess prose will complicate your sentences and make the book hard to read. After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing. Another time youll use commas is when introducing any word or phrase that comes before the main clause in the sentence thats the part of the sentence with at least one. Life after life, by kate atkinson, won several book awards.
You need to decide whether to insert a comma or not with but. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to. Learn english punctuation english punctuation rules. There should not be a space after the beginning quotation marks, it is a runon sentence, and you are missing the preposition to twice in the sentence. The correct way to use commas with names and titles we use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in a list. And if you just want to know the rule for everyday use, the shortcut is effective in the real world as well. Is it grammaticaly correct to place a comma after and. Jun 09, 2009 unsubscribe from learn english with alex engvid. Im struggling with when to omit the comma before dialogue as well as when to use capitals in fiction writing.
You only use a comma with a subordinate conjunction if the. Using commas a summary our big commas test what is the vocative case. But remember, there is always that pesky exception the rule. The correct way to use commas with names and titles. When a date is used as an adjective, most authorities require a comma following the. But a writer should be careful not to construct too many of his sentences after this pattern see rule 14. You should set this information off using a comma before and a comma after it. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after. It is permissible to omit the comma after a brief introductory element if the omission does not result in confusion or hesitancy in reading. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a title it depends. If the sentence would not require any commas if the parenthetical statement were removed, the sentence should not have any commas when the parentheses are added. For example, is it ok to omit the commas in all of the following. Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not before either the opening or the closing parenthesis.
Although using commas correctly may seem mysterious, it can be easy if you follow a few guidelines. Commas can be a particularly tricky punctuation mark. Ap english langcomp guide, 2018 edition usable for 2020 online exam covid19 impact on book delivery. When and how can you use a comma before or after but. In english, writers often string together a bunch of singleword descriptions, adjectives, in grammar lingo. When to use a comma before and get it write online. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause. If there is ever any doubt, use the comma, as it is always correct. The proper definition of the oxford comma is a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before and or or. This grammar lesson offers an explanation on the correct use of commas and gives examples of commas used in sentences. If you have a set of descriptions, you probably have a set of commas also. Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not before.
The proper way of formatting the intext citations is to place the authors last name and the page number that the quotation is found on in parentheses after the the quote. In this article, were going to cover some of the rules as painlessly as possible. Quotation marks punctuation rules the blue book of. Dont switch back and forth in the same document between using the oxford comma and not using it. If a dependent clause ends the sentence, however, it no longer requires a comma. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons. Normally there might be a slight pause at the commas when reading the sentence, but a slight pause when reading is not a reason to introduce a comma when the grammar does not require it the book title, book, is not parenthetical content in your sentence. Lets start with the fact that unless a name or title is the last words in a sentence, it can either be used with no commas at all, or with a comma both before and after. Use a comma before and after certain introductory words or terms, such as namely, that is, i.
Commas with names and titles, simplified the critical reader. How to separate a list of descriptions with commas. When the date appears in the middle of a sentence, commas should appear both before and after the year. Her arrival on monday, april 11, 1988, was considered a turning point for the company. When to use commas before quotations quick and dirty. Whether the comma goes inside or outside of the quotation marks depends entirely on what flavor of english youve chosen. My understanding is that you would omit the comma before after something like he says when quoting single words or very short sentences, rather than long clauses.
Using commas a summary our big commas test using semicolons in lists using semicolons in lists commas after a sentence introductions commas after a transitional phrase commas after interjections yes, no, indeed commas before conjunctions and, or, but commas for parenthesis commas with a long subject commas with numbers commas with. As a general rule, you should use a comma to introduce quoted material or dialogue. The most important rules for using commas without looking. Punctuation shows how the sentence should be read and makes the meaning clear. Parentheses are used to give additional information to the readerinformation that would disrupt the flow of the sentence if written as a nonrestrictive clause. Ben yagoda is a professor of english at the university of delaware and the author of, among other books, about town.
Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Aug 18, 2015 and if you just want to know the rule for everyday use, the shortcut is effective in the real world as well. May 21, 2012 the basic idea is that if the name in the above example, jessie is the only thing in the world described by the identifier my oldest friend, use a comma before the name and after it as well, unless youve come to the end of the sentence. Commas always follow these clauses at the start of a sentence. Rules about when to use and not to use commas are legion. I have a question about listing book titles that have commas in their titles. If written in a sentence, include a second comma after the degree or title. Recognizing the structure of a sentence will help you identify when you should use it. What is an explanation for putting a comma before that in this sentence, and the only fault i find is, that the author, after the manner of travellers, is a little too.
When you are using a book title in a sentence you usually put quotation marks, around and commas before and after it but in elementary school you are taught underline all titles. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. The rule is either have the commas both before and after a name, or dont add it at all. Commas help your reader figure out which words go together in a sentence and which parts of your sentences are most important.
In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the phrase is not integral to the meaning of the sentence. Commas before and in a series grammar and punctuation. Hopefully, it will help people understand the correct use of a comma in fiction. Commas should sometimes be placed before and after names and titles. In grammatical terms, its syntactically independent. Michael wolff, reading it is perfectly fine to use a comma before and. Commas can be used after the setting the scene for a sentence, after transitional phrases, after interjections, before conjunctions, for parentheses, after a long subject, in lists, and with the vocative case. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. Read more about using semicolons before conjunctions. Correct comma usage can be hard to learn, but once it is learned, writing becomes both easier and better. Is using a comma then an and or an or after it proper punctuation. Commas after a sentence introductions commas after a transitional phrase commas after interjections yes, no, indeed commas before conjunctions and, or, but commas for parenthesis commas in lists commas with a long subject commas with numbers commas with quotation. The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Many common nouns end in the letter s lens, cactus, bus, etc.
In an earlier version of this article, the example involving midnight in paris mistakenly said a comma was needed after the name jessie, rather than before it. Comma rules explained when it comes to punctuation, knowing when, and when not to, use commas in writing is the biggest problem most writers face. Thats because in most types of dialogue, the quoted material stands apart from the surrounding text. In the current edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation and on the website, we have stated a preference for use of the serial, or oxford, comma. Should i use a comma inside the quotations of a title. Because the authors names are needed to distinguish works with the same title. Having finally decided on the genre, i wrote my book. It will depend on the structure of your complete sentences. If the number of page visits is a reliable indicator, this topic using a comma before andis on the minds of many people. The store closed its doors for good on wednesday, october 15, 1958.
Even the slickest grammarian struggles with proper comma use, so we compiled a list of the places in a sentence youll need one using ducks. You do not use a comma to separate the name and the page number. There are more usages of a comma, for example, how adding or removing comma before and after a name changes the meaning of the sentence. On monday well see the eiffel tower, and on tuesday well visit the louvre. There are some cases where you know you should use a comma such as when separating items in a list but there are other times when you might be unsure whether or not a comma is needed while theres some degree of flexibility in how commas are used, its important to have a clear grasp of the rules.
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction and, but, yet, so, or nor, for when it. Whether or not you use the serial comma is a style choice. To show possession with a singular noun, add an apostrophe plus the letter s. Omitting the comma after son would have led the reader to believe that the.