Today is National Punctuation Day. Silly, I know. But where would we be without those wonderful sentence stoppers?
In honor of National Punctuation Day I've decided to dedicate today's blog to the proper use of commas. I have been called a grammar Nazi, and I am a bit of a grammar snob. So here are some common comma-related punctuation errors/tips for those of you who are not so grammatically inclined.
. ? !: Periods, exclamation points, and questions marks are pretty straight forward. You use them to end a sentence. If you are having a problem with the use of these simple punctuation marks then seek help immediately, and stop reading now. This article isn't going to help you, my friend.
Commas (,): People are afraid of commas. Many writers are so afraid of commas that they just don't use them. Under use of commas is bad. Overuse of commas is worse. Lots of people are comma-happy. Don't be comma-happy. Here are some tips on when to use a comma:
1. To separate items in a series
Example: Brad ate an apple, a cracker, and a chocolate bar.
2. To separate two complete sentences.
Example: The concert had started, but Michelle was late.
Explanation: Two complete sentences are connected with a connecting word (but). Both sentences could stand alone. If you said, "The concert had started. Michelle was late" it would still make sense.
Tip: The comma goes before the word connecting the two sentences.
3. To offset introductory clauses.
Example: To get a good grade, you'd better come to class early.
Example 2: Venus was not worshipped as widely during Constantine's reign. However, archaeological evidence shows that Venus-worship did not cease completely during this period.
Tip: If you find that you naturally pause when reading a sentence aloud, you probably need a comma.
There are lots more ways to use commas. I can write more about it later if you'd like.
If you have other punctuation related questions, please direct those to my email: jenniferwelbornwrites@gmail.com.
Jen, I am totally comma happy! I think its one of the few things holding me back from trying to really write a book, that and I am one of the worlds crappiest spellers.
ReplyDeleteBettina, if you want to write a book then write a book! Don't worry about the commas or the spelling. All of that can be solved later. There are also tons of really great books out there to help with that. I recommend the go-to for editors everywhere: The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. It's pretty cheap and readily available :)
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