Commas

CommasUse a comma to separate out

unnecessary words

Pasco-Hernando Community CollegeTutorial Series

Commas to Separate Unnecessary Words

There are four rules for using commas in sentences:

Coordinating Conjunctions - FANBOYS Items, Adjectives in a Series After Introductory Words To Separate Out Unnecessary Words

There are also rules to separate signal tags from quotations and for standard usage such as in numbers, dates, and addresses. However, these are special situations.


This tutorial covers the rule about when to use commas to separate out unnecessary words.

FANBOYS Items in a Series After Introductory Words To Separate Out Unnecessary Words


Unnecessary words are words that are not necessary to the meaning of the sentence.

Unnecessary words are words that if removed from the sentence, the meaning of the sentence would not change.


Unnecessary words may be one word:

There will be, however, a new assignment. His wife, Joyce, will also attend. The buses, generally, ran on schedule.

See how the unnecessary word can be removed without changing the meaning.


Unnecessary words may be a phrase.A phrase is a group of words without a subject and verb.

There will be, in the near future, a new assignment.

You will see the old design, as promised. The buses ran on schedule, which was

helpful.


Unnecessary words may be a relative clause.A relative clause is a group of words that begin with who, whom, whoever, whomever, what, whatever, which, and whichever. They are called relative because they are related to a word or words in the sentence.

There will be a new teacher, who will start tomorrow. This relative clause tells something about the teacher.Her office will be the one formerly used by Miss McCloskey, which is

down the hall and on the right. This relative clause tells something about the office.

Both these examples show relative clauses that are not necessary for meaning and, therefore, are separated by commas. (See how the word therefore is separated by commas since it is not necessary for meaning.)


Sometimes, a relative clause is necessary and should not be separated by commas.

The woman who is standing in the corner is the new teacher. This relative clause is necessary since the meaning of the sentence

would be different without it. It is not just any woman who is the new teacher. It is the woman who is standing in the corner who is the new teacher.

Her office will be the one which is down the hall and on the right. Her office is not just any office. It is the one down the hall and on

the right.

Both these examples show relative clauses that are necessary for meaning and, therefore, are not separated by commas. (See how the word therefore is separated by commas since it is not necessary for meaning.)


Unnecessary words are sometimes only determined by the meaning of the author:

His son, Peter, went with him to the game. This sentence makes the word Peter unnecessary

since there are commas around it. Presumably, he has only one son, so it doesn’t matter what his name is.

His son Peter went with him to the game. This sentence conveys the meaning that it was his

son Peter and not another son that went with him since there are no commas to separate out the word Peter.

Commas to Separate Unnecessary WordsUnnecessary words are sometimes only determined by the meaning of the author:

His wife, Janice, went with him to the game. This sentence makes the word Janice

unnecessary since there are commas around it. Presumably, he has only one wife, so it doesn’t matter what her name is.

His wife Janice went with him to the game. This sentence makes the word Janice necessary

since there are not commas around it. The implication is that he has more than one wife.

Commas to Separate Unnecessary WordsWhich is correct?

The book “Gone with the Wind” was a best seller.The book, “Gone with the Wind,” was a best seller.

The first sentence without the commas is saying that the title is necessary to meaning.

The second is saying that the title of the book is not necessary for meaning and would read as follows:

The book was a best seller.The sentence without the title does not mean the same as

the sentence with the title. The title is necessary for meaning.

There should not be commas.


Which is correct?

Athletes who are fit have less health problems.Athletes, who are fit, have less health

problems.

Actually, either could be correct. It depends what meaning the author wants to convey.

The first sentence means that only athletes who are fit have less health problems.

The second sentence means all athletes have less health problems.


Unnecessary words may be at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

However, since there is a rule to put a comma after introductory words, the rule for separating unnecessary words does not apply to unnecessary words at the beginning of a sentence since they would be taken care of by applying the comma after introductory words rule.

Adding to their misery, the snow began to fall.

Commas to Separate Unnecessary WordsPractice exercise. Separate the unnecessary words

with commas. Answers are on next page.

To indicate the it was the child on the swing was her daughter.

The child on the swing was her daughter.The child, on the swing, was her daughter.To indicate content in a specific book.The book 1984 is about a futuristic society.The book, 1984, is about a futuristic society.To indicate which man his math teacher was. My math teacher Mr. Holmes was standing by the office

door.My math teacher, Mr. Holmes, was standing by the office

door.

Commas to Separate Unnecessary WordsAnswers to practice exercise.

To indicate the it was the child on the swing was her daughter.

The child on the swing was her daughter. CorrectThe child, on the swing, was her daughter.To indicate content in a specific book.The book 1984 is about a futuristic society. CorrectThe book, 1984, is about a futuristic society.To indicate which man his math teacher was. My math teacher Mr. Holmes was standing by the office

door.My math teacher, Mr. Holmes, was standing by the office

door. Correct

Commas to Separate Unnecessary WordsTo Review:

Use commas to separate unnecessary words: words that are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence.

Unnecessary words may be one word, a phrase (a group of words).

Word groups that begin with who, whom, whoever, whomever, what whatever, which, and whichever (relative clauses) may be necessary or unnecessary. It depends upon whether the word group is necessary for meaning.

Unnecessary words never begin with a subordinate conjunction: if, though, since, although, after, before, because, when, while (its, aa, bb, ww).

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