By Maggie Kitzmiller
SOME COMMON MISTAKES OF THE COMMA:
INCORRECT: Through all of this Lauren still had hope.
INCORRECT: December came and everyone at school was looking forward to our winter dance.
INCORRECT: I went to the hospital to deliver them to her, and to wish her luck.
INCORRECT: When Lauren returned home from Oregon it was just to rebuild strength.
INCORRECT: Tears ran down my face and I asked her is she needed me to come see her.
RULE: A comma is used to help readers to prevent misreading.
COMMA RULE FOR INTRODUCTORY CLAUSE: "Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase." (Bedford, 426-427)
Common introductory word groups are clauses and phrases functioning as adverbs. These word groups state when, where, how, why, or under what conditions in which the main action occurred.
A comma is used to help readers. The problem though is that many writers add commas where they sound correct, but that is not always right.
Use a comma after an introductory clause to make readers aware that it has ended and the main purpose of the sentence is about to be stated.
CORRECTION OF EXAMPLES:
INCORRECT: Through all of this Lauren still had hope.
CORRECT: Through all of this, Lauren still had hope.
EXPLANATION: The comma is needed because it is telling the reader how Lauren felt about everything that was going on.
INCORRECT: December came and everyone at school was looking forward to our winter dance.
CORRECT: December came, and everyone at school was looking forward to our winter dance.
EXPLANATION: Need comma to separate two independent clauses.
INCORRECT: I went to the hospital to deliver them to her, and to wish her luck.
CORRECT: I went to the hospital to deliver them to her and to wish her luck.
EXPLANATION: A comma cannot be used because it is not an independent clause.
INCORRECT: When Lauren returned home from Oregon it was just to rebuild strength.
CORRECT: When Lauren returned home from Oregon, it was just to rebuild strength.
EXPLANATION: Use a comma because of the introductory clause explaining why Lauren returned home from Oregon.
INCORRECT: Tears ran down my face and I asked her is she needed me to come see her.
CORRECT: Tears ran down my face, and I asked her if she needed me to come see her.
EXPLANATION: Need comma to separate two independent clauses.
HOW TO FIND AND FIX COMMA PLACEMENT:
- Use your grammar book
- Ask someone to look over your paper (Instead of just placing commas where they sound correct)
- Look up commas on the Internet to understand placement.
- Ask an English teacher to look over your punctuation.
- Schedule a meeting with your English teacher for extra help with commas.
- Go to the writing center for help.
- Have another friend look over your paper to make sure the punctuation is correct.
- Use comma help in Microsoft Word.
ADDITONAL RESOURCES:
