| Term | Definition |
|---|
| 1. Separating Items in a Series | • Example—She was formerly on the staff of the embassies in Moscow, Berlin, Vienna, and Madrid. |
| 2. Separating two or more adjectives preceding (coming before) a noun | • Example—We patiently sat through a long, dull, amateurish performance. |
| 3. Between long independent clauses joined by and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet. | • Example—The first two acts were slow-moving, but the third act was full of action and suspense. |
| 4. To set off nonessential clauses | • Example—Joan Thomas, who was offered scholarships to three colleges, will go to Mt. Holyoke in September. (The subordinate clause set off by commas does not affect the basic meaning of the sentence). |
| 5. To set off nonessential participial phrases (participles are verbs ending in –ing, -ed, -d, or –t) | • Example—Cliff decided that, knowing the dangers, running through the house with scissors in his hand was a bad idea. |
| 6. After words such as well, yes, no, and why when they begin a sentence | • Example—Yes, you were elected. |
| 7. After an introductory participial phrase (phrases beginning with verbs). | • Examples—Behaving like a spoiled child, he pouted and sulked. |
| 8. Commas after a succession of introductory prepositional phrases | • At the edge of the deep woods near Lakeville in Cumberland County, they built a small log cabin. |
| 9. Commas after introductory adverb clauses | • Example—While Mario put the costume on, the accompanist played “Deep Purple”. |
| 10. Set off, with commas, appositives and appositive phrases (these are words or phrases that follow nouns or pronouns and identify or explain them) | • Example—A syndicated column by Bernice Silverman, the noted writer, will appear in the Times-News, a local paper. |
| 11. Set of, with commas, words used in direct address | • Example—I don’t know, Alice, where your brother is. |
| 12. Parenthetical expressions (common expressions) such as I am sure, on the contrary, by the way, in fact, for example, and however. | • Example—My parents will, by the way, let me have the car tonight. |
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