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The Serial Comma

The Serial Comma. Did You Make the List?. Introduction. Commas can separate items or actions written in a series. Lists consist of three or more items or actions. Two items or actions are a pair, not a list, and do not require commas.

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The Serial Comma

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  1. The Serial Comma Did You Make the List?

  2. Introduction • Commas can separate items or actions written in a series. • Lists consist of three or more items or actions. • Two items or actions are a pair, not a list, and do not require commas. • A comma separating the last item in a series may be omitted if and or or stand in and separate the last item. It’s an issue of style.

  3. Parallelism • When we look at actions in a series, we have another opportunity to look at agreement, tense, and parallelism. • Parallelism is about making things match. • If I write a list of actions, each verb should be in the same tense. • He read a book, wrote an essay, and cleaned the garage.

  4. Parallelism • This polishing point makes a list balanced and clear. • Working on parallelism can force us to rework our sentences, which is usually a good thing.

  5. Serial Commas • Serial commas help combine sentences and expand ideas by using sensory detail – specific nouns or vivid verbs. • His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age. • - Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

  6. Invitation to Imitate • _______smells of _______, _______, (Place)(list of at least three things) and __________. Use this graphic to imitate the underlying pattern. We can use a structure to shape our own ideas.

  7. More Invitations to Notice and Imitate • Her cleats, shin pads, and sweats were in her backpack, slung over her shoulder and heavy with homework. • I walked back to my room wet and dried myself with a pair of jeans. I put on long underwear, pants, a long-sleeved shirt, shoes, and my parka. I stood in front of the heater. • Then I heard a scrape, a thud, and a yelp.

  8. Invitation to Combine • I have hair the color of carrots in an apricot glaze. • My skin is fair and clear where it isn’t freckled. • My eyes are like summer storms. • Combine these three sentences using commas.

  9. Original Combined Sentence • I have hair the color of carrots in an apricot glaze, skin fair and clear where it isn’t freckled, and eyes like summer storms. • - Polly Horvath, Everything on a Waffle

  10. Uncovering How Writers Communicate With Readers • His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age. • His room smelled. • His room smelled of cooked grease, lysol, and age. • His room smell of cooked grease, Lysol, and age. • His room smelled off cooked grease, Lysol, and age.

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