Tag: commas

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Commas with Clauses

In light of the holiday season, here’s a final fun topic in our Punctuation Series: editing commas within independent and dependent clauses. Do you think Santa Claus will be pleased we included him?

I’ll be referring to The Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition, chapter six.

Let’s hitch up our sleigh and explore briefly these elements. Knowing when to insert commas in relation to independent and dependent clauses can seem confusing, like someone mixing up your name with someone else’s at the holiday gift exchange. So, let’s be clear and get started.

Use Commas with Independent Clauses When…

  • two ideas are separated by a conjunction.

    Heather trekked two miles through the snow back to her house, but when she arrived, the gift was not there.
  • the clause is part of a series.

    Jack is writing about thoroughbreds, Crystal is writing about detectives, and Cathryn is writing about the militia.
  • However, if the sentence is relatively simple, then consider eliminating the comma.

    Elyah played the harp and Havilah sang.
  • Or, if the sentence has the same subject but different verbs, leave off the comma.

    Ian dusted and waxed the piano for tonight’s singalong.

Use Commas with Dependent Clauses When…

  • your sentence has an introductory element, like a subordinating conjunction (if, when, or because).

    When we are ready, please lift the angel to the top of the tree.
    Because without six carolers, our group won’t be in harmony.
    If no one comes, it means more cookies for me.
  • your sentence has a parenthetical thought.

    We’ll watch the play, if you’re inclined to join us.
  • your sentence has two dependent clauses separated by a coordinating conjunction.

    Grandpa decorated the tree with an array of bubble lights, and if little Claire had not played with the end of the string, the lights might have gone up sooner.


I hope you’ve enjoyed this final blog post for this year’s series! It’s meant to be a reminder for those sometimes tricky and pesky Grammarly things.

Thanks as ever for joining this Punctuation Series journey this year. It’s been a pleasure sharing with you. Out of this series, what have you most enjoyed?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

A Comma Here, A Comma There

lighter look at a writer's life

I spent the better part of yesterday evening, into the night, grading analysis essays. As I marked up the papers, I pondered a few things:

  1. Since I am the teacher, why did I assign such a big assignment, at such a busy time, that I would have to spend hours grading?
  2. Is there something shorter I could have students do in the future?
  3. What in the world has happened to commas?

I will deal with the first couple of items on my own, but let’s talk about that last one. Commas are an important piece of punctuation, maybe the most important one, and my teachers through the years drilled their proper usage into me. One instructor, in particular, could catch a comma splice from 10 miles away.

Now, commas seem to be in flux. Do we use the Oxford comma or not? What about a serial comma? Are the two one and the same? If I am giving a list of cereals, do I use a serial comma or a cereal comma? These questions make my head spin, and my inner copy editor is extremely stressed these days.

In the papers I graded, commas were often left out in compound sentences connected with a conjunction. I wanted to yell, “No!!” I didn’t think my wife would appreciate that, so I refrained from screaming. I stuck to marking in missing commas with my grading pen.

It may be time to return to Conjunction Junction and remember the function. Two complete thoughts? With a conjunction? Use a comma!

The main problem that gets me is use of commas toward the end of a list of items. Missing commas at that point can give a whole new (and often unintended) meaning to the message. For example, I once read this phrase in a newspaper:

“Pray for the children harmed by hardship and our ministry.”

Now, we should pray for these children, but have they really been harmed by the ministry? It’s like saying “Let’s eat grandma!” instead of “Let’s eat, grandma!”

Proof that commas, if used correctly, can make a difference in this world. Don’t make me get out my grading pen!

Carlton Hughes wears many hats. By day, he’s a professor of communication at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he does object lessons and songs with motions as Children’s Pastor of Lynch Church of God. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and several devotional books from Worthy Publishing—Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. Carlton and his wife Kathy have two sons, Noah and Ethan, both of whom recently flew out of the nest, and a daughter-in-law, Kersyn. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and is a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas Child. He is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency. His book Adventures in Fatherhood, a 60-day devotional co-authored with Holland Webb, will release in April 2020 from Worthy/Ellie Claire.

Categories
Write Justified

The Common Comma – Part 3

 

Bryan Garner, author of A Dictionary of Modern American Usage, and a raft of other books on English language usage and style, calls the comma the least emphatic punctuation mark of all. While it may not have the impact of a period or semi-colon, marks that call for a full stop or pause, the comma’s primary role is a separator. And when it comes to clarity, that’s an important role.

Garner identifies nine uses for a comma. We’ve covered

We’ll finish this series with Garner’s final five.

  • Qualifying adjectives

When more than one adjective is describing a noun, separate them with commas if both can be true of the noun.

John’s worn, red sweater won the award for the company’s annual Ugly Christmas Sweater contest.

Since John’s sweater is both worn and red, the qualifying adjectives are separated with a comma. Note the tip here. If the comma could be replaced with and, the comma is needed.

When the adjectives describe the noun in different ways, or one adjective describes the other no comma is needed.

Repainting the bright pink walls was the first item on the new homeowners to do list.

Bright modifies pink, not walls. No comma.

  • Direct vs. indirect speech

When writing dialogue, use a comma to separate direct speech from indirect speech.

“My goodness,” Marjorie exclaimed, “look how that child has grown.”

  • Participial phrase

Introductory participial phrases are set off with a comma.

Famished after their ten-mile hike, the scouts lined up early for dinner.

Waiting for the bank to open, Margaret caught up on Facebook.

No comma is needed if the sentence is inverted and the phrase immediately precedes the verb.

Facing down the monster was the prince himself.

  • Salutation

I know it’s becoming a lost art—letter writing—that is. But should you have occasion to write a note or informal letter, insert a comma after the salutation. Dear John, Dear Sally,

That’s not a bad practice to carry over into those emails you dash off, either.

  • Parts of an address

Separate the elements of an address, as well as dates, when they are run in the text.

The package was shipped to 758 Potter Street, Hamlin, Missouri, by mistake.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 3, 1776, not July 4.

Punctuation, like language itself, evolves over time. What was once a preference for more commas— “close” style, has given way to an “open” approach using fewer commas. Some have gone as far as saying, “When in doubt, leave it out.” Keep in mind that[bctt tweet=” the whole reason we use punctuation is to make our writing as clear as possible” username=””]. You’ll be on the right path if you adhere to Bryan’s nine uses.

 

Categories
Polishing Your Message

Common Error Comma Splices

 

Commas, commas, commas! There are so many rules, but the most common rule broken is creating a comma splice.

How do you know when you have made an error creating a comma splice? When you join two complete sentences together using nothing other than a comma to join them. If you can read the two sentences alone and they have a subject, verb, and a complete thought, you cannot join them together with only a comma.

So how do you correct a comma splice error?

[bctt tweet=”how do you correct a comma splice”]

There are several ways to correct comma splices, but the most common corrections include three easy steps.

1. Separate the two sentences with a period.

2. If the sentences are related in topic, you may join them together with a semicolon (;).

3. Join the two sentences together with a comma and a conjunction. An easy way to recall your conjunctions is to think

of the word FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

Formula: Complete Sentence + , Fanboy + Complete Sentence

SAMPLE:

Every day this week God has been showing off, but I am not surprised. Together we have had a terrific week full of surprises and challenges, yet with Him by my side, consistent joy and peace fueled each day and each task.  

Please do not think every time conjunction is used in a sentence a comma is required before it. That is not the case. Only when a complete sentence is present on each side of the conjunction is the comma required before the conjunction.

Again, when we join sentences with a comma alone, it creates a comma splice, and we can correct the error with the three ways above. Sentences written side by side with no punctuation may be referred to as  run-on or fused sentences and may confuse readers. We want to take the time to polish our writing and use our commas effectively.

Comma use can be confusing and often subject to style preferences, but regarding a commas splice, it is always incorrect usage. Proper use of commas will polish and add clarity to the work.

Next month I look forward to sharing how using transitions will help polish your writing. Currently I am experiencing  and embracing multiple major life transitions, and God is undoubtedly  polishing my faith! I am so excited!

[bctt tweet=” recall your conjunctions #commas # FANBOYS”]

Image Credit: Kevin Bondelli