How To Use Commas In A Sentence
You can also use a comma with a shorter phrase when you want to emphasize it or add a pause for literary effect.
How to use commas in a sentence. When to use a comma before or. Use a comma to separate the elements in a series three or more things including the last two. As a rule of thumb if the phrase is longer than about four words use the comma. Commas customarily indicate a brief pause. They re not as final as periods.
They re also useful if you have several other commas in the sentence to help avoid confusion. Its job is straightforward it introduces a clause of purpose a clause beginning with because answers the question why there s usually no comma before because. Never put a comma in front of the first item on the list. Because when you say and you ve already separated the last two items. When you re describing something with two or more adjectives you can use a comma between them if those adjectives are coordinating.
Don t use a comma before because as a general rule. Use commas to separate words phrases or clauses that appear in a series of three or more because the storm had knocked out the electricity we spent the evening telling ghost stories on the porch. We re going to eat albert. Use a comma after a phrase or clause that precedes the subject of the sentence. We use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in a list.
When an adverbial phrase begins a sentence it s often followed by a comma but it doesn t have to be especially if it s short. Because is a slightly different animal. The comma in front of the word and is optional. My estate goes to my husband son daughter in law and nephew. You need commas between each item on the list with one important exception.
Adding a comma can change the meaning of a sentence. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives. But if you want to throw an extra comma there you re welcome to do so.