Comma Review

English 10

Insert commas where needed

A thick damp fog blanketed the coastline.

The dark green shirt was Bill’s favorite.

The teacher gave directions in a low serious voice.

Answers

A thick, damp fog blanketed the coastline.

The dark green shirt was Bill’s favorite.

(Notice no comma has been added)

The teacher gave directions in a low, serious voice.

What is the rule?

Use commas between 2 or more adjs. that modify the same noun.

A thick damp fog blanketed the coastline.Switch the order of the adjs. and insert the word and between them.

A damp and thick fog blanketed the coastline.If the meaning hasn’t changed and if the word and

sounds natural then you can go back and add a comma.

A thick, damp fog blanketed the coastline.

Notice it didn’t work in sentence 2

The dark green shirt was Bill’s favorite.

The green and dark shirt was Bill’s favorite.

In this case dark is meant to describe the shade of green and not the shirt so we do not add a comma. The adjs. do not modify the same noun.

Insert commas where needed

I went to the grocery store and I spent over fifty dollars.

I came home with lots of food yet I forgot the one thing I needed to buy.

Next time I will remember my list and my coupons.

Answers

I went to the grocery store, and I spent over fifty dollars.

I came home with lots of food, yet I forgot the one thing I needed to buy.

Next time I will remember my list and my coupons. (notice no comma)

What is the rule?

Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction that joins the 2 independent clauses of a compound sentence.

I went to the grocery store, and I spent over fifty dollars.

Both are independent.

Notice it didn’t apply to sentence 3

Next time I will remember my list and my coupons.

We do not have 2 independent clauses. If we added an additional item we would use commas for those items in a series.

Next time I will remember my list, my wallet, and my coupons.

In addition…

• Make sure to use both a comma and a coordinating conjunction. Using only a comma results in a run-on sentence.

I went to the grocery store, and I spent over fifty dollars.

Incorrect: I went to the grocery store, I spent over fifty dollars. (Run-on)