Punctuation Department · Today with The Mayor

Comma

1 Learn Start here

2 Assess Take the quiz

3 Practice Try it out

★ Certified Earn your badge

▶ Play Optional

Comma

The Mayor teaches this column himself. Work through each capitalization job below, then take the quiz.

Separate the items in a series

A series is three or more words or word groups in a row. A comma separates each item, including a comma before the final and or or (the serial, or Oxford, comma), so the list reads clean.

In a sentence

He packed a tent , a map , and a flashlight.

Now you try

Three or more items in a row, each split by a comma, with one before the and. You could try snacks, school supplies, or pets.

Put the comma before the coordinating conjunction

A comma goes before a FANBOYS conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So) when it joins two independent clauses, each of which could stand on its own. A comma between two independent clauses with no conjunction is a comma splice.

In a sentence

I wanted to go to the party , but I had too much homework.

You can read your book now , or you can play outside first.

Now you try

Each side has to stand on its own. Like: I was tired, so I rested.

Set off the part you could lift out

A comma separates a speaker tag from the exact words spoken, whether the tag comes first (She said, ...) or after the quotation. The comma is Chief Comma's; the quotation marks are Court Reporter Quotation Marks'.

In a sentence

“Wait for me ,” Theo called.

Now you try

Drop in a who or which part: My bike, which is blue, is fast.

Set off the introduction before the main idea

A comma follows an introductory word or phrase that comes before the main clause, marking where the opener ends.

In a sentence

After the movie , we walked home.

Now you try

Start with Yes, First, or an After ... phrase: After lunch, we played.

Every comma does one job

All four comma jobs (series, join, set apart, introductory) are the same move: separating words and word groups so the reader can follow the sentence.

In a sentence

I called , but the line was busy.

Mr. Lin , our guide , led the way.

Now you try

Series, join, set apart, or introductory. Every one of them separates.