The Elusive Comma - Quality of Writing
This post (which I actually wrote earlier, offline) actually grew out of a problem I've seen over and over and over again at DKA and Critters: people not getting their commas right. It's one of the easiest mistakes to make--and one of the most annoying for editors. (Speaking, of course, as an editor myself.) It's also a hallmark of an inexperienced writer.
Probably one of the hardest aspects of writing to get 'write' is the comma. In some ways, that's understandable, because where a comma goes in a sentence depends on the meaning you want the sentence to have. But there are a few totally basic rules that should never be overlooked in writing with commas, and yet that always are. Here are a few of those rules. You have no excuse now!
The Serial Comma:
When writing with lists, a comma should go after every item except the last one--and that includes the item before the conjunction! "Apples, oranges, and banannas" is correct; "Lions, tigers and bears" is not. Nor does this apply only to lists of items; consider the following sentence: "He opened the door, picked up the newspaper, and brought it back inside."
It's worth noting that 'lists' are compilations of three items or more; if you have two items (e.g., "He opened the door and picked up the newspaper."), you would use the conjunction without the comma.
The Parenthetic Comma:
Brief pauses in sentences, such as this one, should be surrounded with commas. It is inexcusable to use one comma and omit the other. Strunk and White tell us that "It is frequently hard to tell whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase is or is not parenthetic." They're right, of course; it is hard. But it's not impossible. A good rule of thumb is to try placing the phrase in question in parenthesis; if the sentence still makes sense, you can probably put the phrase in commas.
"He might have noticed (if he were not so busy with work) that MaryAnn rarely bothered to curl her hair anymore."
"He might have noticed, if he were not so busy with work, that MaryAnn rarely bothered to curl her hair anymore."
The Direct Address Comma:
Strunk and White tell us that a name or title in direct address is parenthetic, and should be surrounded with commas, but I find that it's easier to remember if I list it as a separate rule.
If someone is speaking directly to someone else, then the name (or title) should be surrounded in commas. The first comma should be dropped if it's at the beginning of a sentence; the second one, if it's at the end of the sentence.
PAY ATTENTION!!
The vast majority of comma problems I see, both at DKA and at Critters, have to do with this rule, and I don't know why, because it's fairly straightforward.
WRONG: "John why do you insist on wearing that ugly hat?"
WRONG: "Why do you insist on criticizing everything I do Mary?"
WRONG: "When you were outside Tom did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?" (Also wrong: "While you were outside, Tom did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?" and also wrong: "While you were outside Tom, did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?")
RIGHT: "John, why do you insist on wearing that ugly hat?"
"Why do you insist on criticizing everything I do, Mary?"
"When you were outside, Tom, did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?"
The Independant Clause Comma:
If you have a sentence with an independant clause, and the two clauses are joined with a conjunction, then you should use a comma before the conjunction. (If the clauses are not joined with a conjunction, then a comma should not be used; a semicolon should be.) For example:
The razed land was ugly, but we knew the trees would grow again.
Or:
The waterfall sparkled in the sun; each drop looked like a diamond.
You would not, however, omit the comma in the first example (The razed land was ugly but we knew the trees would grow again.) nor include it in the second (The waterfall sparkled in the sun, each drop looked like a diamond.)
Of course, either sentence could be written as two: "The razed land was ugly. We knew the trees would grow again"; "The waterfall sparkled in the sun. Each drop looked like a diamond."
These are the most important rules for commas, and the ones that are most often violated. I've listed theme here because bad use of commas makes for bad writing. Sometimes the difference between poor writing and good writing is nothing more than the difference between knowing how to use a comma and not. No writer who wants to be really good can afford to overlook this little mark.
Probably one of the hardest aspects of writing to get 'write' is the comma. In some ways, that's understandable, because where a comma goes in a sentence depends on the meaning you want the sentence to have. But there are a few totally basic rules that should never be overlooked in writing with commas, and yet that always are. Here are a few of those rules. You have no excuse now!
The Serial Comma:
When writing with lists, a comma should go after every item except the last one--and that includes the item before the conjunction! "Apples, oranges, and banannas" is correct; "Lions, tigers and bears" is not. Nor does this apply only to lists of items; consider the following sentence: "He opened the door, picked up the newspaper, and brought it back inside."
It's worth noting that 'lists' are compilations of three items or more; if you have two items (e.g., "He opened the door and picked up the newspaper."), you would use the conjunction without the comma.
The Parenthetic Comma:
Brief pauses in sentences, such as this one, should be surrounded with commas. It is inexcusable to use one comma and omit the other. Strunk and White tell us that "It is frequently hard to tell whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase is or is not parenthetic." They're right, of course; it is hard. But it's not impossible. A good rule of thumb is to try placing the phrase in question in parenthesis; if the sentence still makes sense, you can probably put the phrase in commas.
"He might have noticed (if he were not so busy with work) that MaryAnn rarely bothered to curl her hair anymore."
"He might have noticed, if he were not so busy with work, that MaryAnn rarely bothered to curl her hair anymore."
The Direct Address Comma:
Strunk and White tell us that a name or title in direct address is parenthetic, and should be surrounded with commas, but I find that it's easier to remember if I list it as a separate rule.
If someone is speaking directly to someone else, then the name (or title) should be surrounded in commas. The first comma should be dropped if it's at the beginning of a sentence; the second one, if it's at the end of the sentence.
PAY ATTENTION!!
The vast majority of comma problems I see, both at DKA and at Critters, have to do with this rule, and I don't know why, because it's fairly straightforward.
WRONG: "John why do you insist on wearing that ugly hat?"
WRONG: "Why do you insist on criticizing everything I do Mary?"
WRONG: "When you were outside Tom did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?" (Also wrong: "While you were outside, Tom did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?" and also wrong: "While you were outside Tom, did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?")
RIGHT: "John, why do you insist on wearing that ugly hat?"
"Why do you insist on criticizing everything I do, Mary?"
"When you were outside, Tom, did you happen to see if the mail had come yet?"
The Independant Clause Comma:
If you have a sentence with an independant clause, and the two clauses are joined with a conjunction, then you should use a comma before the conjunction. (If the clauses are not joined with a conjunction, then a comma should not be used; a semicolon should be.) For example:
The razed land was ugly, but we knew the trees would grow again.
Or:
The waterfall sparkled in the sun; each drop looked like a diamond.
You would not, however, omit the comma in the first example (The razed land was ugly but we knew the trees would grow again.) nor include it in the second (The waterfall sparkled in the sun, each drop looked like a diamond.)
Of course, either sentence could be written as two: "The razed land was ugly. We knew the trees would grow again"; "The waterfall sparkled in the sun. Each drop looked like a diamond."
These are the most important rules for commas, and the ones that are most often violated. I've listed theme here because bad use of commas makes for bad writing. Sometimes the difference between poor writing and good writing is nothing more than the difference between knowing how to use a comma and not. No writer who wants to be really good can afford to overlook this little mark.
posted by Keesa | 9:18 AM
4 Comments:
Excellent post, Keesa! You know, a lot of people simply insert commas wherever they breathe. (You know ... if you were speaking it, the places you pause to take a breath.) Most of the time you do breathe on commas when you speak, but ... it doesn't quite work that way.
Luckily, I have never had that comma problem. Not even when I was 10. I have always been obsessed with absolute correct punctation and grammar. I was looking at some of my stories from when I was little, and I was amazed by how mature they were (for that age, you understand) and at how correct my spelling and punctuation and grammar was. *grin*
I didn't mean to sound boastful. Don't everyone go away!
Hehehe. We're not going away, Gen! I just haven't been around much lately. :sighs:
And you're not being boastful. :hugs:
Hehe. Thanks, Tobie. Misused commas are one of my pet peeves in life...I hate them. I'd like for the whole world to use commas correctly, or at least the part of it I'm familiar with. :-)
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