Commas Surround Again After but or and

When to Use Commas
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Employ a comma to separate the elements in a serial (iii or more than things), including the concluding two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to commencement base." You may have learned that the comma before the "and" is unnecessary, which is fine if you're in control of things. However, at that place are situations when, if you don't employ this comma (especially when the list is complex or lengthy), these last ii items in the list will try to glom together (like macaroni and cheese). Using a comma between all the items in a serial, including the last two, avoids this problem. This concluding comma—the 1 between the give-and-take "and" and the preceding discussion—is often called the serial comma or the Oxford comma. In paper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial comma, only that is not necessarily a sign that information technology should be omitted in academic prose.

Utilise a comma + a little conjunction (and, simply, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect ii independent clauses, every bit in "He hitting the ball well, simply he ran toward third base."

Contending that the coordinating conjunction is adequate separation, some writers will get out out the comma in a sentence with short, balanced independent clauses (such equally we see in the example just given). If there is ever whatsoever doubt, all the same, apply the comma, as it is always correct in this situation.

One of the most frequent errors in comma usage is the placement of a comma later a coordinating conjunction. We cannot say that the comma will always come earlier the conjunction and never after, just information technology would be a rare result, indeed, that we demand to follow a coordinating conjunction with a comma. When speaking, we do sometimes interruption later the little conjunction, merely in that location is seldom a adept reason to put a comma there.

For additional data on coordinating conjunctions, click HERE. See the note Beneath regarding the utilise of a comma between two contained clauses when the second independent clause begins with a parenthetical chemical element or adverbial clause.

Utilise a comma to set off introductory elements, as in "Running toward third base, he of a sudden realized how stupid he looked."

It is permissible to omit the comma afterwards a cursory introductory element if the omission does not effect in confusion or hesitancy in reading. If there is e'er any doubt, utilise the comma, every bit it is always correct. If you lot would similar some additional guidelines on using a comma after introductory elements, click HERE.

Utilise a comma to set up off parenthetical elements, as in "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down." By "parenthetical element," we mean a part of a sentence which tin can be removed without changing the essential meaning of that sentence. The parenthetical element is sometimes chosen "added information." This is the nigh difficult rule in punctuation because it is sometimes unclear what is "added" or "parenthetical" and what is essential to the meaning of a sentence.

Appositives are nearly always treated as parenthetical elements.

Calhoun'southward ambition, to become a goalie in professional soccer, is within his reach.

Eleanor, his wife of thirty years, all of a sudden decided to open her ain business.

Sometimes the appositive and the word it identifies are and then closely related that the comma can be omitted, as in "His wife Eleanor all of a sudden decided to open her own concern." We could argue that the name "Eleanor" is not essential to the meaning of the judgement (assuming he has only one wife), and that would suggest that we can put commas both earlier and after the name (and that would also be correct), but "his wife" and "Eleanor" are so close that we can regard the entire phrase as one unit and leave out the commas. With the phrase turned effectually, all the same, we have a more definite parenthical element and the commas are necessary: "Eleanor, his wife, suddenly decided to open her ain business." Consider, as well, the difference between "College President Ira Rubenzahl voted to rescind the withdrawal policy" (in which we need the name "Ira Rubenzahl" or the sentence doesn't brand sense) and "Ira Rubenzahl, the higher president, voted to rescind the withdrawal policy" (in which the sentence makes sense without his title, the appositive, and we treat the appositive every bit a parenthetical element, with a pair of commas).

Every bit pointed out above (Dominion #3), an adverbial clause that begins a judgement is set off with a comma:

Although Queasybreath had spent several years in Antarctica, he still bundled upwards warmly in the brisk autumns of Ohio.

Considering Tashonda had learned to report by herself, she was able to pass the archway examination.

When an adverbial clause comes later on in the sentence, however, the writer must determine if the clause is essential to the meaning of the judgement or non. A "because clause" tin be especially troublesome in this regard. In about sentences, a "because clause" is essential to the meaning of the sentence, and information technology will not be set up off with a comma:

The Okies had to leave their farms in the midwest because the drought conditions had ruined their farms.

Sometimes, though, the "because clause" must exist set up off with a comma to avoid misreading:

I knew that President Nixon would resign that morning, because my sister-in-law worked in the White Firm and she chosen me with the news.

Without that comma, the sentence says that Nixon's resignation was the fault of my sister-in-law. Nixon did not resign because my sister-in-police force worked in the White House, so we set up off that clause to make the meaning clearly parenthetical.

When a parenthetical element — an interjection, adverbial modifier, or even an adverbial clause — follows a analogous conjunction used to connect two contained clauses, we do not put a comma in front end of the parenthetical element.

The Red Sox were leading the league at the cease of May, but of grade, they e'er do well in the bound. [no comma after "but"]

The Yankees didn't do so well in the early going, but bluntly, anybody expects them to win the flavour. [no comma afterwards "but"]

The Tigers spent much of the season at the bottom of the league, and fifty-fifty though they picked upwardly several promising rookies, they expect to exist there once again adjacent twelvemonth. [no comma after "and"]

(This last piece of advice relies on the authority of William Strunk'south Elements of Way. Examples our own.)
When both a city's name and that city's country or country's name are mentioned together, the state or country's proper name is treated as a parenthetical element.

We visited Hartford, Connecticut, last summer.

Paris, France, is sometimes chosen "The City of Lights."

When the state becomes a possessive class, this rule is no longer followed:

Hartford, Connecticut's investment in the insurance industry is well known.

Also, when the state or country's proper name becomes part of a compound structure, the second comma is dropped:

Heublein, a Hartford, Connecticut-based visitor, is moving to some other state.

An accented phrase is always treated as a parenthetical chemical element, as is an interjection. An addressed person's name is also always parenthetical. Be certain, notwithstanding, that the name is that of someone actually beingness spoken to. A dissever section on Vocatives, the diverse forms that a parenthetical element related to an addressed person'south name can have, is also bachelor.

Their years of training at present forgotten, the soldiers broke ranks.

Yes, it is always a matter, of course, of training and attitude.

I'm telling y'all, Juanita, I couldn't be more surprised. (I told Juanita I couldn't be more surprised. [no commas])

Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives. Yous could recall of this as "That alpine, distinguished, good looking fellow" rule (as opposed to "the piffling old lady"). If you can put an and or a but between the adjectives, a comma will probably vest there. For case, y'all could say, "He is a tall and distinguished fellow" or "I live in a very old and run-downwardly business firm." So y'all would write, "He is a tall, distinguished man" and "I live in a very old, run-down business firm." But yous would probably not say, "She is a footling and old lady," or "I alive in a little and purple firm," then commas would not appear between little and old or between niggling and majestic.

Employ a comma to set off quoted elements. Because we don't use quoted material all the time, even when writing, this is probably the virtually hard dominion to remember in comma usage. It is a good idea to find a page from an commodity that uses several quotations, photocopy that page, and keep it in forepart of you as a model when y'all're writing. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the residuum of the judgement that explains or introduces the quotation:

Summing up this argument, Peter Coveney writes, "The purpose and strength of the romantic prototype of the child had been above all to establish a relation betwixt babyhood and adult consciousness."
If an attribution of a quoted element comes in the middle of the quotation, two commas volition be required. Just be careful not to create a comma splice in and so doing.

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you tin can make words mean and so many things."

"I should similar to purchase an egg, please," she said timidly . "How practise you sell them?"

Exist careful non to utilize commas to fix off quoted elements introduced past the discussion that or quoted elements that are embedded in a larger structure:

Peter Coveney writes that "[t]he purpose and strength of . . ."

We ofttimes say "Distressing" when nosotros don't really mean it.

And, instead of a comma, use a colon to set off explanatory or introductory language from a quoted chemical element that is either very formal or long (specially if it's longer than ane sentence):
Peter Coveney had this to say about the nineteenth-century's utilize of children
in fiction : "The purpose and strength of . . . . "

Utilise commas to set off phrases that express dissimilarity.

Some say the world will end in water ice, non fire.

Information technology was her money, non her charm or personality, that get-go attracted him.

The puppies were cute, only very messy.

(Some writers will get out out the comma that sets off a contrasting phrase beginning with but.)
Use a comma to avoid confusion. This is ofttimes a matter of consistently applying rule #3.

For most the year is already finished.

For most , the yr is already finished.

Outside the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of cleaved branches.

Outside , the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.

I accept spent near of the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day taking information technology out.
— Oscar Wilde

Grammar English's Famous Rule of Punctuation: Never use but i comma between a subject field and its verb. "Believing completely and positively in oneself is essential for success." [Although readers might break after the word "oneself," there is no reason to put a comma there.]

Typographical Reasons: Between a city and a land [Hartford, Connecticut], a date and the twelvemonth [June fifteen, 1997], a name and a title when the title comes afterward the name [Bob Downey, Professor of English], in long numbers [five,456,783 and $14,682], etc. Although you will ofttimes see a comma betwixt a proper name and suffix — Bob Downey, Jr., Richard Harrison, III — this comma is no longer regarded equally necessary past most copy editors, and some individuals — such as Martin Luther Male monarch Jr. — never used a comma in that location at all.

Note that we employ a comma or a set of commas to make the twelvemonth parenthetical when the date of the month is included:

July 4, 1776, is regarded as the nascence date of American freedom.

Without the date itself, however, the comma disappears:

July 1776 was ane of the near eventful months in our history.

In international or military format, no commas are used:

The Declaration of Independence was signed on 4 July 1776.

Utilize Commas With Caution
As you can run into, there are many reasons for using commas, and we oasis't listed them all. Still the biggest problem that almost students take with commas is their overuse. Some essays look as though the pupil loaded a shotgun with commas and blasted away. Remember, too, that a pause in reading is non always a reliable reason to utilize a comma. Try not to apply a comma unless you lot can apply a specific dominion from this page to do so.

Concentrating on the proper apply of commas is not mere course for form'southward sake. Indeed, information technology causes writers to review their understanding of construction and to consider carefully how their sentences are crafted.

Try this experiment:
Give your instructor v dollars for each comma yous use in an essay. Your instructor will render v dollars for each comma used correctly. You should come up out even. This technique for cutting down on unwanted commas has been heartily endorsed by every English instructor who has tried it.

Commas and Introductory Elements
Commas and Analogous Conjunctions

Commas: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Quiz on Comma Usage

The following quizzes volition test your understanding of other punctuation marks too as the comma, and information technology might be a skillful thought for you to review those marks before taking them. Click Here to exercise so.

Punctuation: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Quiz on Punctuation

A Second Quiz on Punctuation

Another Exercise in Punctuation

Yet Another Exercise in Punctuation

Guide to Grammar and Writing