If you tend to place a comma wherever you hear a pause, be careful. You might be mispunctuating.

Comma Uses

Use a comma before and after a year following a month and date:On May 2, 2011, the students walked across the

stage for graduation.Use a comma before and after the abbreviation

for a state following a city:Mr. Sevilla and Mr. Kersten met in Pulaski,

Tenn., at the Butter Bowl.When addressing an envelope, don’t put a

comma between the abbreviation for the state and the zip code:991 Sand Lake Rd.Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

Always Use a Comma – Dates, Places, and Addresses

Use a comma after words in a series (separates three or more items) but not before the conjunction unless the meaning would be unclear. Ms. Carter proposed that her students must have

pencils, binders, notebook paper and Cheetos upon entering the classroom.

Example of a series that would be unclear with out a comma before the conjunction. Ms. Spencer went to town to buy a can of corn, a can of

peas and carrots, and a can of candied yams. Use a comma before the word etc. at the end of a

series:Bring me what you’ve got: candy, money, iPod, etc.

Always Use a Comma – Items in a Series

Use a comma between two independent clauses joined by a conjunction to form a single sentence. No comma is needed when what follows the conjunction is not an independent clause:A dentist and her assistant discussed tooth

care with the students, and they used Mr. Gross Mouth to illustrate their points.

Always Use a Comma – Independent Clauses

Use a comma after introductory clauses, phrases or words: Lake Brantley approved the measure, and so did the teachers.

If a gerund/gerund phrase or an infinitive/infinitive phrase is the subject of the sentence, it is not considered an introductory word, phrase or clause. Do not use a comma after it:To live is to be. (To live is an infinitive used as the subject.)

Use commas around nonrestrictive (nonessential) words, phrases or clauses.

Use a comma between coordinate adjectives – that is, if you can reverse the adjectives and put and between them.

Use a comma before the adverbs too, as well and also at the end of a sentence: Tim Tebow came to the event, too.

Always Use a Comma – Introductory or Concluding Expressions

Use commas to set off a conjunctive adverb (however, likewise, at the same time, therefore) from the rest of the sentence. Jessy, however, was late.However, Jessy was late. Jessy was late, however.

Use a comma after an adverbial clause beginning with although, if, because or since at the start of a sentence:Because clouds covered the sky, it was difficult to

see the comet last night. Use a comma after said when introducing a direct

quotation that is one sentence long:Ms. Carter said, “Ms. Spencer is the best teacher to

work with.”

Always Use a Comma

Use a comma before not when showing contrast:She thought girls preferred the color purple,

not pink.Use a comma to set off a noun of direct

address:Chris, could you please copy your notes?

Use a comma between adjectives before a noun if “and” could go between the adjectives:An ugly, disgusting wart

If you cannot reverse the adjectives, don’t separate them by commas:A bright red rubber ball (not a rubber red

bright ball)Place two commas around words, phrases, or

clauses that interrupt a sentence.A Cherokee newspaper, the Phoenix, began

publication in 1828.

Always Use a Comma

Never use a Comma Never use a comma before a subordinate clause

The game was cancelled because it was raining. Never use a comma between clauses that form part of a

compound direct object The poll found that nine out of 10 people believe smoking

should be limited in public and that eight out of 10 believe employers should be allowed to limit smoking in workplaces.

Never use a comma between compound adjectives (that is, two words that team up as one adjective, with one word describing the main adjective). Use a hyphen instead

The sun beat brightly through a cloud-free sky the morning of the accident.

Never use a comma between adjectives when the second adjective is closely linked with the noun

A new stone wall Never use a comma after a quotation mark. The comma, if

needed, goes before the quotation mark “The beverage-container ordinance will probably be supported

by the voters,” MacDonald said.

Never Use a CommaNever use a comma after a period,

exclamation point or question mark in a quotation when the sentence continues past it“Swim!” her father yelled.

Never use a comma before a partial or indirect quotationFeldman said “old-age blues” set in when he

turned 30. (No comma after said because the quotation is not a complete sentence).

Never use a comma around the abbreviation Jr. or Sr. after a name.

Never use a comma before Inc. in a company name.