Comma Rules- Grammar Post #1

I have a hard time remembering all the rules for commas. I have been taught over and over again, but i still struggle. It's hard to remember exactly where ever comma goes exspecially when you have a huge paper to write and all you can think about is what to write about. I am sure other students strugle with this as I do.I have worksheet after worksheet about commas and where they go. I even have a cheat sheet that i wrote hout to help me remember. However, there are so many rules and exceptions that i can't seem to remember them all the time.

There are six main comma rules that will help me and others improve on their writing skills. They are a series, introductory elements, insertions, FANBOYS, He said/She said, and dates and other everyday material. I, however, mainly srtugle with series, introdutory elements, and insertions.

The fisrt one is to remember that in a series always place commas between each thing listed and also to place a comma before the and. (example: I need to get milk, eggs, carrotts, and tomatoes at the store.) This can be used for any listing that you may be doing such as names, places, and/or describing a couple of actions taken. Remember that a comma is required in a list of three or more things.

The second is intodutory elements such as: Because the baby was crying, Marie gave her a bottle. If you ever a doubt if the comma should be placed, place it because it is always correct. Practice reading your sentence outloud and if it sounds funny or you hesitate when you read it there is probobly something incorrect in your grammar.

Third of all, I have a hard time with insertions. A insertion is something that inturupts the sentence with more information to help the reader understnad the author and who s/he is writing about. (example: Julie, my best friend for 15 years, bakes cookies for sick children in the hospital.) A great way to remember where commas for insertions is when added info interupts the sentence. Also, taking an insertion out does not change the meaning of the sentence.

I hope that this helps you with your grammar problems as it did me writing about it and researching and learning more information about these grammar rules. HERE is a link that shows all the grammar rules and ways to help you learn them better.