Rules of Comma Use

[sapphiresmoke]

Since so many people have trouble with commas, I decided to post the rules of comma use here to make it easier for people to learn. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them here!


Basically, you use commas when the two parts of the sentence can stand alone.

For example: "I walked up the stairs, and I looked around." A comma is used there because "I walked up the stairs" is a sentence by itself, and "I looked around" is a sentence by itself.

But you don't use a comma with "I walked up the stairs and looked around," because "looked around" is a fragment, not a sentence.

That's the error I see most frequently here: either putting commas in when they're not needed or leaving them out when they are.

Another comma problem is that of quotes. It's the same basic rule, really: if either side of the comma can stand alone, a comma should be there.

Example: "He said, 'Hi.'" This uses a comma because "he said" is not a sentence.

But if you write, "He smiled. 'Hi,'" it's a period, becuase "he smiled" is a sentence.

However, if you use something like "he laughed," it's up to you. If the person is speaking in a laughing way, use a comma. If he laughs, then talks, use a period. Likewise with sighs, gasps, etc.

You also put a comma in if you address a specific character.

Example: "You don't understand, Andy."

But there's no comma here: "Andy didn't understand."

If you're using "too" or "as well" at the end of a sentence, you need a comma before it.

Example: "I want to go, as well."

But there's no comma in "There are too many."

And finally, commas are needed when you add a word like "also" to the beginning or end of a sentence or "though" to the end of a sentence.

Example: There's a comma in "Also, I want an apple" and "I don't want an orange, though."

[~Beauty~]

*coughs* hem hem. I'm glad you posted this for the challenged people... *cough*

[sapphiresmoke]

Lol.

[irisharoma]

Sapphire;;
You've posted to a VERY important topic in literature. I roleplay often, which is a really intense literary concept on Horseland. Some people do not care about the concept of commas, and I find it really annoying. Many roleplayers call themselves "elite" when they cannot put commas in a simple sentence.
For example,
1.The wolf said, "Hi," then continued to walk.
-The above is ONE SENTENCE. Therefore,

2.The wolf said "Hi" then continued to walk.
-is completely unacceptable. As well as,

3.The wolf said, "Hi". then continued to walk.
-The use of commas is a very important topic.

Many thanks for bringing it up.

Irish

[sapphiresmoke]

A lot of people have trouble with commas. I certainly did before my English teacher taught me how to use them correctly (me specifically - it wasn't a class thing). I still make mistakes with them, just not bad ones anymore. Lol.

Thanks for the addition, Irish!

[irisharoma]

You are very welcome. Always here to help. English is not my favorite subject, and I certainly do not excel in it as much as I should. I hope that you will ask for help here if you need it. That is something we are here for, as well as the inspirations to your literature. But I am sure we will all get better after reading your comma rules, and hopefully others will be able to use it in the future.

[sapphiresmoke]

That's why I posted them.

Actually, I was getting tired of pointing out each and every comma error I saw... Lol.

I'd ask for help, but I never think I'm making mistakes when I make them. I don't even know I did anything wrong until a teacher points it out. Lol.

[irisharoma]

Well, hopefully some of us will have careful eyes when we read not just your work, but others as well. It is important that we help our fellow writers here, because we want to help them become better. It is a good idea that we all become of habit to checking and editing our and other's work. Checking ours before posting is a good idea anyway, in case we don't catch your mistakes. But it is my opinion I really do think we should start taking more precaution with our literature anyway.

[sapphiresmoke]

Yeah, the forum is here so writing can be edited. It's always a good idea to edit before sharing, anyway, lol.

I like the way it's been going here, though... The serious critique comes after the story is finished. That, in my opinion, is the only way to really get it right. If you don't know the story, how can you critique it? Of course, little comments throughout are always good, too.

[irisharoma]

-nods- Of course, I agree. I have been here long enough (I've been an actual member awhile now, just not so active in the forum =/) to see that we are all very serious with it. I haven't had my work critiqued on, unfortunately, though I will get to posting some of my literature soon (I hope).

[sapphiresmoke]

Yeah, I remember you posting a few times before. I'm glad you've decided to become a more active member.

I'd love to read some of your work!

[irisharoma]

Yes. I had started out with writing a play, but that failed very quickly. Poetry will be my next thing to post, then eventually and hopefully some novels. So keep an eye out for them I will probably be starting out with a collection of my poems all in one, then branch out with better ones. I enjoy free verse, haiku, tanka, and sonnets personally, though some of my favorites are the poems from Robert Frost. I find him extremely creative and inspirational.

[sapphiresmoke]

I like Robert Frost, too, though I haven't read a lot of his poetry.

I will definitely look for your writing.

[irisharoma]

I am almost positive this selection from his work will be familiar to you:

"The Road Not Taken"
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the differece.
~Robert Frost


I am deeply in love with this poem. It's my ultimate FAVORITE. Of course, Sri Chinmoy gets a second place in my book with the following poems:

If I cannot forgive muself
For all the blunders
That I have made
Over the years,
Then how can I proceed?
How can I ever
Dream perfection-dreams?
Move, I must, forward.
Fly, I must, upward.
Dive, I must, inward.
To be once more
What I truly am
And shall forever remain.
~Sri Chinmoy

The madness of this world
Cannot be conquered
By the sadness or the power
Of the world,
But only by the oneness
Of the world - hearts.
~Sri Chinmoy

EXTREMELY fantastic selections in my opinion. Shall you say so?

[sapphiresmoke]

Yes, wonderful poems... You're right, I had read the first one.

The other two I hadn't, but they're amazing!