English Comma Usage

Commas are used

I) to seperate independent clauses

The students asked for a second chance to rewrite the exam,

The following conjunctions (so-called coordinating but the teacher did not grant it.
conjunctions) are used in such case:
and, but, for, nor, or, so & yet¹
II) after introductory a) If you leave the door open, the dog might run away.
b) As a matter of fact, I’m going on vacation to Hawaii next
a) subclauses week.
b) phrases c) Unfortunately, he was convicted of a crime and put into
c) words jail.
III) when
a) Jill, who was sitting behind her desk, gave Tim a smile.
a) subclauses
b) We, as a matter of course, will contact your former
b) phrases
employer.
c) words
c) We have, however, found several severe errors.
appear in the middle of the sentence.
IV) to set off three or more words, phrases or She went into the living room, sat down, and played
mainclauses in a serious. chess on the computer.
V) to set off two or more coordinate adjectives, that is, We had to travel over several narrow, winding,
the meaning does not change when the order is altered. treacherous roads.
VI) at the end of a sentence in order to indicate a
He was merely ignorant, not stupid.
pause.
VII) to set off a nonrestrictive (also non-defining) Theodore Roosevelt, who was leader of the famous rough
relative clause². riders, became president in 1901.
VIII) when someone is addressed directly. Susan, can you help me do the dishes please?
IX) when a direct quotation is included. Descartes said,“I think, therefore I am.“
Bill Clinton, former US president, is still very popular in
X) to show an appositive³.
Europe.
XI) in dates. Yes, July 17, 1972, was the date of his birth.
XII) to seperate identical words. How it is, is how it’s always been.
XIII) in front of tag questions. Bring me the tools, will you?
10,000
XIV) after digits indicating thousands.
9,999,999
XV) after a

a) salutation a) Dear John,

b) farewell b) Sincerely yours,

in letters.

¹ Note that ‘but’ and ‘and’ do not take a comma when both are relatively short.
² restrive relative clause= they tell us which person or thing, or which kind of person or thing, is meant;
non-restrictive relative clause = they tell us more about a person or thing that is already identified.
³ When an appositive is only one word, no comma is needed.
Imperative - English Grammar
We use the infinitive to form the imperative.

affirmative sentences negative sentences

Come here, please. Don't come now, please.

Help your father, please. Don't play on the computer, please.
Clean the bathroom, please. Don't clean the living room, please.