STANDARD IV: The student will use correct capitalization and punctuation.

STANDARD IV: The student will use correct capitalization and punctuation. OBJECTIVE 2. Demonstrate correct use of commas.

Comma • A Comma( , ) is a punctuation mark used to separate words or parts of the sentence. • A comma never comes before the first word of a sentence and never ends a sentence.

Commas to Separate Items in a Series • Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series. • We ordered muffins, juice, and coffee. • The movie was long, dull, and humorless • They have traveled on land, by sea, and in the air. • I enjoy reading stories, writing articles, and listening to poetry. • Preheat the oven, beat the eggs, and sift the flour.

Commas to Set Off Interjections • Interjections are words that show emotion or exclamation, such as oh, well, ouch, wow, ah • Use commas to set off interjections at the beginning of a sentence. • Yes, I hope to build my own home one day. • Oh, I understand now. • Wow, what a beautiful rainbow it is!

Commas After Introductory Prepositional Phrases • A comma after a short introductory prepositional phrase is not incorrect, but the only time it is necessary is if the sentence might be misread without the comma. • Among those running, women were well represented. • Use a comma after a long prepositional phrase or after the final phrase in a succession of phrases. • During the coldest part of winter, she caught a bad cold. • In the light of the moon, the flowers opened.

Commas After Introductory Prepositional Phrases • If the prepositional phrase is immediately followed by a verb, do not use a comma. • Among the candidates in the race for mayor were three women from our part of the city. • At the edge of the garden were many flowers.

Commas After Introductory Prepositional Phrases • Appositives are nouns and noun phrases that rename the noun before them. • Use commas to set off an appositive if it is not essential to the meaning of a sentence. • A historical city, New Orleans was originally settled by the French. • Sherlock Holmes, the famous fictional detective, was the invention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. • Holmes is often accompanied by Dr. Watson, the narrator of many of Conan Doyle’s stories.

Comma Usage for Introductory & Interrupting Words & Phrases • Place a comma between coordinate adjectives that precede a noun. You can tell whether adjectives in a sentence are coordinate by reversing their order or putting the work and between them. If the sentence sounds right, then the adjectives are coordinate.

Comma Usage for Introductory & Interrupting Words & Phrases • When you name the person you are talking to, or addressing, that is called a direct address. • Whether you use the proper name or a common name, you need to set it off with commas. • Joshua, do you have a ruler. • Next,student, you need to study the map.

Comma Usage for Introductory & Interrupting Words & Phrases • Sometimes a word or a phrase will interrupt what the sentence is saying and needs to be set off with commas. These are interrupters such as in fact, for example, by the way, after all, to be exact. • Yesterday, on the other hand, was a more productive day. • He was, I believe, an amateur swimmer.

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • It was a warm, starry, fragrant evening. • The big old oak desk stood in one corner of the room. • (Do not use commas between adjectives that describe size, shape, age, color, and material.) • A noisy, dusty Japanese truck roared down the street. • (Not all adjectives require commas between them.)

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use comas between the main clauses in a compound sentence. A comma should be placed before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, not yet, or for) that joins two main clauses. • I told Sara what he said, and she advised me to forget it. • I picked up the clay jar carefully, yet it crashed to the floor.

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas to set off participles, infinitives, and their phrases if they are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. • He read, engrossed, until the doorbell broke his concentration. • I am not very thirsty, to tell the truth. • The girl watching us is my sister. (Participial phrase tells which girl.) • To study my notes would not help you much. (Infinitive phrase is used as the subject of the sentence.)

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas to set off a nonessential adjective clause. (provides additional information) • Jackson Pollock, who was an American painter, was born in 1912. (nonessential clause) • One of the few American writers whom she read was Langston Hughes. (essential clause)

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. Participles and Participial phrases • Use commas to set off introductory participles and participial phrases. • Gesturing forcefully, the speaker held her audience spellbound. • Running after my cats, I sprained my ankle.

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. Antithetical phrases • Use commas to set off an antithetical phrase. • Alaska, not Texas, is the largest state in the United States of America. • Australia, unlike New Zealand, is an island that is considered a continent.

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas to set off all introductory adverb clauses. • Because it was a beautiful day, we decided to have a picnic. • Use commas to set off internal adverb clauses that interrupt the flow of a sentence. • Our outing, although it was well planned, did not run smoothly. • We went home early even though we weren’t tired. (don’t use if adverb clause is at end)

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas • To set off titles when they follow a person’s name. • Maria Lopez, Ph. D. • To separate the various parts of an address, a geographical term or a date. • Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is known for its farms. • Tuesday, April 1, 1996, was the day I won the scholarship.

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas • To set off the parts of reference that direct the reader to the exact source. • Refer to John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, pages 37-47. • To set off words or names used in direct address. • Carlo, are you sure that you can get tickets for the game? • Sam, where did you go?

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas to set off a tag question. • You checked your baggage, didn’t you? • Place a comma after the salutation of an informal letter and after the closing of all letters. • Dear John, • Sincerely,

OBJECTIVE 2Demonstrate correct use of commas. • Use commas with direct quotations. • He answered, “I am looking forward to the summer vacation.”

Choose the sentence that is punctuated correctly. • My sister a registered nurse has attended many seminars. • My sister, a registered nurse has attended many seminars. • My sister a registered nurse, has attended many seminars. • My sister, a registered nurse, has attended many seminars.

2. Choose the sentence in which the comma is used correctly. • As we strolled, slowly down the walkways in the formal garden we noticed countless tulips and daffodils. • As we strolled slowly, down the walkways, in the formal garden we noticed countless tulips and daffodils. • As we strolled slowly down the walkways in the formal garden, we noticed countless tulips and daffodils. • As we strolled slowly down the walkways in the formal garden we noticed countless tulips, and daffodils.

3. Identify the sentence that contains an error in punctuation. • We have plenty of broccoli left over. • May I serve you some more broccoli? • Mother will you have some more broccoli? • Yes, I would like some more broccoli.

Look at the underlined sentence part. Choose the answer that shows the correct punctuation for that part. After we had finished lunch we headed back to our classrooms. • lunch; we • lunch, we • lunch: we • Correct as it is

Look at the underlined sentence part. Choose the answer that shows the correct punctuation for that part. Although she could not make out the words Mrs. Strain was certain that she had heard two male voices. • words, Mrs. Strain • words; Mrs. Strain • words: Mrs. Strain • Correct as it is

Choose the sentence in which the comma is used correctly • While the proud, graduate marched briskly into the stadium the orchestra played “Pomp and Circumstance” with a stately rhythm. • While the proud graduates marched briskly into the stadium, the orchestra played “Pomp and Circumstance” with a stately rhythm. • While the proud graduates marched briskly into the stadium the orchestra played, “Pomp and Circumstance” with a stately rhythm. • While the proud graduates marched briskly into the stadium the orchestra played “Pomp and Circumstance,” with a stately rhythm.

Choose the sentence that is punctuated correctly. • Why, Sammy didn’t you say the dogs were coming with you? • Betty lives at 2524 Red Pine Lane, Evanston Oklahoma, near her mother. • Don’t bother with the cake, Jordan because other people will be bringing all the cake we can eat. • On Thursday, March 19, 1995, Marty had his first piano recital a Convention Hall in Barcelona, Spain.

Choose the sentence that is punctuated correctly. • My cousin graduated from college on Tuesday June 7th. • The football players, happy but exhausted, headed for the locker room. • Although he tried hard to listen to the lecture Sam dozed off several times. • After the skiing trip John washed down the boat, and put away the equipment.

Choose the sentence that is punctuated correctly. • “I think I saw you at the county fair” George said. • I went to Disneyland on September 14, 1994 for my birthday. • All the noise, and the excitement of the festival, kept Linda awake all night. • For the most case in foreign travel, go to London, England, where the language is not a factor.

Choose the sentence that contains an error on punctuation. • The treaty was signed on Tuesday, March 14, 1967. • The class looked forward to their trip to Washington D.C. • Realizing that he was in real danger, Manuel studied the map once more. • “Drop to the ground and give me twenty pushups.” commanded the coach.

STANDARD IV: The student will use correct capitalization and punctuation.