ENG II B. WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS? Commas are necessary for clear expression of ideas. As we read the...

COMMAS

ENG II B

COMMAS INTRO

WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?

COMMAS INTRO

WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?Commas are necessary for clear expression of

ideas. As we read the following sentences, notice how the placement of the comma affects the meaning of each sentence.

EXAMPLES1. When someone calls you, answer immediately.2. When someone calls, you answer immediately.

Failing to use necessary commas may confuse your reader.

COMMAS INTRO

WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?Failing to use necessary commas may

confuse your reader.CONFUSINGThe friends I have invited are Ruth Ann Jerry

Lee Derrick Martha and Julie.HOW MANY FRIENDS?

COMMAS INTRO

WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS?Failing to use necessary commas may

confuse your reader.CLEARThe friends I have invited are Ruth Ann, Jerry

Lee, Derrick, Martha, and Julie.HOW MANY FRIENDS?

THE RULES – COPY THEMAdd to your list of rules and be ready to discuss.

RULE 1:USE THE COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES. *

RULE 1:USE THE COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES.

Notice in the following examples that the number of commas in a series is only one less that the number of items in the series. *

EXAMPLES1. All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles came to our family

reunion. [nouns]2. My grandparents were excited, happy, and proud that

so many came. [adjectives]3. The adults talked, laughed, took photographs, and

shared memories. [verbs]


Notice in the following examples that the number of commas in a series is only one less that the number of items in the series.

EXAMPLES4. The children played in the yard, at the playground, and by the

pond. [prepositional phrases]5. I shall always remember that weekend of feasting, telling

stories, and playing games. [gerund and gerund phrases (a gerund is a verb ending in –ing)]

6. Those who had flown to the reunion, who had driven many miles, or who had even taken time off from their jobs were glad that they had come. [subordinate clauses] #1

RULE 1:USE THE COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES.When the last two items in a series are joined by

and, you may omit the comma before the and if the comma is not necessary to make the meaning clear.

CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTEDThe salad contained lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and

radishes.

NOT CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTEDOur school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor, features

and art. How many editors are there, four or five? Does one person serve as feature and art editor, or is an editor needed for each job?



NOT CLEAR WITH COMMA OMITTEDOur school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor, features

and art. How many editors are there, four or five? Does one person serve as feature and art editor, or is an editor needed for each job?

CLEAR WITH COMMA INCLUDEDOur school newspaper has editors for news, sports, humor,

features, and art. [five editors]



Some writers prefer always to use the comma before the and, whether or not it is necessary for clarity.

For this class, ALWAYSuse the comma.


NOTE:Some words —such as bread and butter,

rod and reel, table and chairs — are used in pairs and may be set off as one item in a series:

My favorite breakfast is milk, bacon and eggs, and fruit. * #2

RULE 1:USE THE COMMA TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES.Copy parts a and b, below, to add to your list of rules.

a) If all items in a series are joined by and or or, do not use commas to separate them.*

EXAMPLESI need tacks and nails and a hammer.Sam or Carlos or Yolanda can baby-sit tonight.

b) Independent clauses in a series are usually separated by semicolons. Short independent clauses, however, may be separated by commas.*

EXAMPLESThe sky grew dark; tree branches swayed in the wind; the cold deepened; the first snowflakes fell. #3

THE RULES – COPY THEMAdd to your list of rules and be ready to discuss.

RULE 2:USE COMMAS TO SEPARATE TWO OR MORE ADJECTIVES PRECEDING A NOUN.*

RULE 2:USE COMMAS TO SEPARATE TWO OR MORE ADJECTIVES PRECEDING A NOUN.EXAMPLE

Are you going to that hot, crowded, noisy mall?When the last adjective in a series is thought of as part of the noun,

the comma before the adjective is omitted.*EXAMPLES

I study in our small dining room.I’ll drink cool, refreshing orange juice.

Compound nouns like dining room, orange juice, and post office are considered single units — as though the two were one word. In the previous sentences, small modifies the unit dining room; cool and refreshing modify orange juice.

RULE 2:USE COMMAS TO SEPARATE TWO OR MORE ADJECTIVES PRECEDING A NOUN.HOW TO TEST THE NEED FOR COMMAS IN RULE 2:1. Insert the word and between the adjectives. If and fits

sensibly between the adjectives use the comma. *I study in our small dining room.

I’ll drink cool, refreshing orange juice.• In the first sentence, and cannot be logically inserted: small

and dining room — no comma.• In the second sentence, and would be logical between the first

two adjectives (cool and refreshing) but not between the second and third (refreshing and orange).

So, where does the comma go?

RULE 2:USE COMMAS TO SEPARATE TWO OR MORE ADJECTIVES PRECEDING A NOUN.HOW TO TEST THE NEED FOR COMMAS IN RULE 2:1. Change the order of the adjectives. If the order of the

adjectives cannot be reversed sensibly, no comma should be used. *

I study in our small dining room.I’ll drink cool, refreshing orange juice.

• Refreshing, cool orange juice would be correct, but not orange refreshing juice or dining small room.

So, where does the comma go?

#4

INDEPENDENT WORK:STUDY YOUR NOTES OVER COMMAS RULE 2 (BELOW) IN PREPARATION FOR GROUP ACTIVITY.RULE 2:

USE COMMAS TO SEPARATE TWO OR MORE ADJECTIVES PRECEDING A NOUN.

INDEPENDENT WORK

1. Pick up the handout entitled “Commas Exercise 1 and 2” from the bookcase in the front of the room.

2. Complete.3. Fold in half after completed and wait QUIETLY until everyone

is done. 4. We will be checking our work together as a class.

#5A

INDEPENDENT WORKOn a scrap piece of paper, state what things need to be analyzed with EACH: (*Hint: there is a guided notes worksheet that COULD be of help to you!!! ) (I’m asking that you do this, because VERY SOON, we will be coming back to this & using it to analyze speeches.) • Speaker• Occasion • Audience• Purpose• Subject• Tone

#5A

INDEPENDENT WORK

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 3, AS NEEDED (KINESTHETIC PRACTICE)

#5B

INDEPENDENT WORK

STUDY COMMA RULES FOR FIVE MINUTES IN PREPARATION FOR QUIZ.

#6

INDEPENDENT WORKTHE RULES – COPY THEMAdd to your list of rules and be ready to discuss.

RULE 3: Use commas before for, and, nor, but, or, yet and so when they join independent clauses. *

COMMAS RULE 3- Coordinating Conjunctions

F –forA-and

N – norB- butO – or

Y - yet S - so *

#6

COMMAS RULE 3- Coordinating Conjunctions and Independent ClausesDefine Independent.• not controlled by another• able to function by self• self-supportingDefine Coordinating.• making parts come together• put things togetherDefine compound.• made by combining two or more

things

#6

COMMAS RULE 3A comma is used before a coordinating

conjunction when the words on each side of the conjunction can stand alone as a complete thought.*

The conjunction puts two things together (coordinating) that can stand by themselves (independent), therefore forming a compound sentence (combining two or more things).

Maria cleared the table, and Roland did the dishes.

#6

COMMAS RULE 3Do not be misled by compound verbs,

which often make a sentence look as though it contains two independent clauses.*

The conjunction preceded by a comma puts two things together (coordinating) that can stand together by themselves (independent).

Roland cleared the table and did the dishes.Why is there no comma needed here?

#6

COMMAS RULE 3EXAMPLES• Hector pressed the button, and the engine started up.• She doesn’t have much money, but she wants to help

you.• He will take karate lessons, or he will study judo.• She would never argue, nor would she complain to

anyone.• We wanted to see the new movie, for it had received

excellent reviews.• Naomi Carter has her own telephone, yet she still gets

calls on her parents’ phones.

#7

INDEPENDENT WORKPick up the handout from the front

bookcase and complete. Fold in half hotdog style when finished, and wait for the rest of the class to finish.

NOTE:We will be trading and grading and this will

be taken up by your teacher.

#7

INDEPENDENT WORK

Study your notes over the comma rules until your teacher passes out your work.

Learning Target 3 Formative Assessment 1

#8A

INDEPENDENT WORK

Study your notes over the comma rules until your teacher passes out your work.

Learning Target 3 Formative Assessment 2

#8B

INDEPENDENT WORK

Study your notes over the comma rules in preparation for quiz over Rule 3

Learning Target 3 Summative Assessment 1

#9


RULE 4: Use commas to set off nonessential clauses and nonessential participial phrases.*


CLAUSEA clause is a group of words that contains a verb and a subject and is used as a part of a sentenceThere are two kinds of clauses:

1. Independent (complete thought)2. Subordinate (not a complete thought - dependent)

PARTICIPIAL PHRASEConsists of a participle and its related words, such as modifiers and complements, all of which act together as an adjectiveA participle is a verb form used as an adjectivei.e. pouring rain

waxed floor darting suddenly


CLAUSEHas a subject and a verb*

PARTICIPIAL PHRASEA group of words*


A nonessential clause or a participial phrase ADDS information that is NOT necessary or needed to the main idea in the sentence.*


Essential:- Necessary to retain or keep the meaning of the

sentence.- Covering it up changes the message conveyed.- One does not need to place commas around it.

- That*That clauses after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb expressing mental action are always essential.


Nonessential:- Does the part of the sentence act as more of a side

note rather than essential information?- If you cover up the clause, phrase, or word, does the

sentence still make sense?- Does the clause, phrase, or word interrupt the

flow of words in the original sentence?- If you move the element to a different position in the sentence, does the sentence still make sense?- One must place commas around it.

- Which, Who, Participle (usually ends in –ing or –ed)*If you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions, then the element in question is nonessential and should be set off with commas.


Essential clausesWhat does "essential" mean here? It means the clause is needed to help the reader know exactly what you are talking about.The man who is wearing the red hat is my science teacher. The man who is wearing the green hat is my math teacher.We need the adjective clauses in these two sentences to IDENTIFY which man teaches science and which one teaches math, right?


The man who is wearing the red hat is my science teacher. The man who is wearing the green hat is my math teacher.Check it out.... If you take the adjective clause out of these sentences, can you still tell me WHICH MAN is the science teacher and which man is my math teacher?


The man who is wearing the red hat is my science teacher. The man who is wearing the green hat is my math teacher.The man is my science teacher. (Which man are we referring to? You can't tell because "the man" is not specific.)The man is my math teacher. (Which man are we referring to? Are we talking about the same man? We don't know.)In these sentences, the adjective that we took out was essential to the sentence because it told us "which man" we are talking about. It helped us identify that man.


Non-Essential Clauses •What does "non-essential" mean? It means that the adjective clause is NOT needed in order to IDENTIFY the referent (what we are talking about). It is simply additional information.

•Look at the non-essential clause below. The information about the hats is NOT essential to know which "Mr. Smith" or which "Mr. Jones" we are talking about.

Mr. Smith, who is wearing the red hat, is my science teacher.Mr. Jones, who is wearing the green hat, is my math teacher.


Non-Essential Clauses Mr. Smith, who is wearing the red hat, is my science teacher.Mr. Jones, who is wearing the green hat, is my math teacher.

Mr. Smith, who is wearing the red hat, is my science teacher.Mr. Jones, who is wearing the green hat, is my math teacher.

Double-Check: Can we understand who we are talking about, even if we eliminate the adjective clauses?Mr. Smith is my science teacher.Mr. Jones is my math teacher.Yes we can! This means the clause is non-essential

ESSENTIAL OR NONESSENTIAL?

1. Anthony who won the race became the first one in our class to receive a trophy.*


2. My left ankle which I broke last winter is still too weak for track.*


3. The teacher was annoyed when Hillary who lives right across the street from school was late.*


4. The cats sitting in the window are called Tiger Lily and Sam.*


5. Our City Hall which was built in 1912 is now too small.*


6. Mahalia Jackson who grew up singing in a church choir became a famous gospel singer.*


7. Children who get everything they want often appreciate nothing.*


8. Anita who has no sense of humor couldn’t see what made the joke funny.*


9. Some people don’t enjoy any game that they don’t win.*


10. Have you heard of Lorraine Hansberry who was a famous playwright?*


10. Have you heard of Lorraine Hansberry who was a famous playwright?*

#

INDEPENDENT WORK

Pick up the handout entitled “Participial Phrases” from the bookcase in the front of the room. Begin reading.

#


As you read the following sentences aloud, pause and lower your voice to indicate that each boldfaced clause or participial phrase is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence.

NONESSENTIAL CLAUSES:Eileen Murray, who is at the top of her class, wants to go to medical school.

#


Continue reading aloud:NONESSENTIAL CLAUSES:

Texas, which, has the most farms in the United States, produces one fourth of the country’s oil.

NONESSENTIAL PHRASES:Tim Ricardo, hoping to make the swim team, practiced every day.

The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a fantasy that has been translated into many different languages.

#


Each boldfaced clause or phrase can be omitted because it is not essential to identify the word it modifies.Eileen Murray, who is at the top of her class, wants to go to medical school.Who is at the top of her class does not identify Eileen Murray. It can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence: Eileen Murray wants to go to medical school.

#


Each boldfaced clause or phrase can be omitted because it is not essential to identify the word it modifies. Tim Ricardo, hoping to make the swim team, practiced every day.Hoping to make the swim team does not identify Tim Ricards. It can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence:

Tim Ricardo practiced every day. #

#


When the clause or phrase is necessary to the meaning of a sentence, or when it tells which one, the clause or phrase is essential, and commas are NOT used.

Notice how the meaning of each of the following sentences changes when the essential clause of phrase is omitted.

All students whose names are on that list must report here.

A contest that I might be able to win is described in that newspaper.

#


When the clause or phrase is necessary to the meaning of a sentence, or when it tells which one, the clause or phrase is essential, and commas are NOT used.

Notice how the meaning of each of the following sentences changes when the essential clause of phrase is omitted.

Swimmers hoping to make the swim team must practice extra hours. [Not all swimmers; just those hoping to make the swim team.]

A book written by J.R.R. Tolkien has been widely translated. [Not any book, but the one by J.R.R. Tolkien.] #

#

INDEPENDENT WORK:

1. Pick up the handout entitled “Commas Learning Target 3 – Formative 3, Exercise 1” from the bookcase in the front of the room.

2. Complete.3. Fold in half and wait for all students to finish.


#


RULE 5: Use commas after certain introductory elements.*


a) Use a comma after words such as well, yes, no, why, etc. when they begin a sentence.

EXAMPLESYes, she’s going to the cafeteria.

Ah, there’s noting like cold water on a hot day.


b) Use a comma after an introductory participial phrase.

EXAMPLESSwitching on a flashlight, the ranger led the way down the path.

Disappointed by the high prices, we made up a new gift list.


c) Use a comma after a succession of introductory prepositional phrases.

EXAMPLESInside the fence at the far end of her property, she built a potting shed.

By the end of the train ride, the children were exhausted.


d) Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause.

EXAMPLESAfter Andres Segovia had played his last guitar concert, the audience applauded for more than fifteen minutes.

When you see smoke, you know there is a fire.


d) Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause.

An adverb clause is a dependent clause that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

It tells how, when, where, why, how much, to what extent, or under what condition the action of the main verb takes place.


It tells how, when, where, why, how much, to what extent, or under what condition the action of the main verb takes place.

EXAMPLESAfter Andres Segovia had played his last guitar concert, the audience applauded for more than fifteen minutes.

When you see smoke, you know there is a fire.

ENG II B. WHY DO WE NEED COMMAS? Commas are necessary for clear expression of ideas. As we read the...

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