Quick Start Guide: Commas

Welcome!

Welcome to the Learning Commons Quick Start Guide on commas!

Commas are a powerful but potentially difficult punctuation mark to use correctly. This guide will cover seven rules for English comma use to help improve your writing.

This guide will explain:

  • the importance of commas
  • the 7 comma rules
Course Information

Course Level: Beginner

Time to Complete: <10 mins

Perfect for: Students in WRTG100/101, ENGL103, or anyone who needs a refresher.

Guide Creator: Abby Pernsteiner

Commas 101

These videos introduce the main uses of commas in English, showing that they:

  • Separate items in a list.
  • Link two independent clauses together with a coordinating conjunction.
  • Set off the introductory element of a sentence.
  • Insert non-defining information into a sentence.

In this mini-course we explore this in more detail:

  1. Lists, Compound Sentences, and Establishing Information
  2. Extra Information
  3. Dates, Numbers, and Places
  4. Quotes and Coordinate Adjectives
  5. Wrap-Up

Additional Resources

Below are some great links to follow if you want to read more on commas:

Links to handouts:

If you would like to talk any of this through then we look forward to talking to you. Book an appointment!

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