Commas in English

The main rule for the use of commas in English is: Keep your sentences clear. Too many commas might be distracting; too few might make the text difficult to read and understand.
Always check your texts on readability. This requires some practice, however, as first you must know which commas are necessary and which are optional.
The following chapters contain explanations on English comma rules. In our exercises you can practise what you've learned.

Commas with Salutations

Use a comma if the sentence starts with an address to someone.

Example: Greg, can I talk to you for a second?

Use a comma with salutations in private letters.

Example: Dear Francis,

Don’t use a comma with salutations in business letters. Use a colon in American English and no punctuation mark in British English.

Example:
BE – Dear Mr Jefferson
AE – Dear Mr. Jefferson:

After the greeting, the comma is optional.

Example:
Sincerely,
Sincerely

Commas with Geographic Places

Use a comma to separate parts of geographic places. The final comma is optional.

Example: Hollywood, Ireland(,) is not as famous as Hollywood, California.

Use a comma to separate parts of an address in a sentence.

Example: His address is 46 Baker Street, London, NW2 2LK, Great Britain.

Commas with “please”

Use a comma if “please” is at the end of a request.

Example: Send me a mail, please.

Don’t use a comma if “please” is at the beginning of a request.

Example: Please send me a mail.

Commas with Affirmatives, Negatives and Question Tags

Use a comma after “yes” and “no”.

Example: Yes, I can help you.

Use a comma before question tags.

Example: You are Scottish, aren’t you?

Commas with Adjectives

Use a comma if the adjectives are equally important and give similar kinds of information.

Example: It was a cold, windy morning.

Don’t use a comma if the adjectives are not equally important or give different kinds of information.

Example: He was a clever young man.

Note:
To check if adjectives give similar kinds of information or not, put and between the adjectives. (It was a cold and windy morning.)
If adjectives give different kinds of information, the and between the adjectives doesn't sound right. (He was a clever and young man.)

Commas with Adverbs

Use a comma after certain adverbs: however, in fact, therefore, nevertheless, moreover, furthermore, still, instead, too (meaning 'also').

Example: Therefore, he didn't say a word.

If these adverbs appear in the middle of a sentence, they are enclosed in commas.

Example: The thief, however, was very clever.

The comma is optional for the following adverbs: then, so, yet.

Example:
So, she entered the house.
So she entered the house.

Commas with Enumerations

Use a comma to separate items in an enumeration.

Example: Old McDonald had a pig, a dog, a cow, a horse.

The comma before “and” is optional. (Choose the option you like best and stick to it.)

Example:
Old McDonald had a pig, a dog, a cow and a horse.
Old McDonald had a pig, a dog, a cow, and a horse.

Don’t use a comma before “and” if two items are a unit (“Ham and eggs” as a dish is a unit and should therefore not be separated by a comma.)

Example:
Old McDonald had soup, ham and eggs and apple pie for dinner.
Old McDonald had soup, ham and eggs, and apple pie for dinner.

Don’t use a comma if all items in an enumeration are separated by “and”, “or”, “nor” etc.

Example:
Old McDonald had a pig and a dog and a cow and a horse.
Old McDonald had a pig or a dog or a cow or a horse.
Old McDonald neither had a pig nor a dog nor a cow nor a horse.

Commas between Main Clauses

Use a comma between two main clauses which are separated by and or but.

Example: We ran out of fuel, and the nearest petrol station was 5 miles away.

Use a comma to separate parts of a sentences in a sequence.

Example: She ran down the stairs, opened the door, saw her boyfriend(,) and gave him a kiss.

Don’t use a comma if these parts of the sentence are separated by and or but.

Example: She ran down the stairs and opened the door and saw her boyfriend and gave him a kiss.

Note: Don’t use a comma, but a semi colon, if two main clauses are not separated by and or

Commas with Conditional Sentences

Use a comma if the if clause is at the beginning of the sentence.

Example: If I go to London, I will visit the Tower.

Don’t use a comma if the if clause is at the end of the sentence.

Example: I will visit the Tower if I go to London.

Commas with Direct Speech

Use a comma after the introductory clause.

Example: She said, “I was in London last year.”

If the direct speech is at the beginning of the sentence, put the comma before the final quotation mark. (Don’t use a full stop here.)

Example: “I was in London last year,” she said.

Don’t use a comma after direct speech if the direct speech ends with a question mark or exclamation mark.

Example:
“Were you in London last year?” he asked. (but: He asked, “Were you in London last year?”)
“Great!” she replied. (but: She replied, “Great!”)

Commas with Introductory Clauses

Use a comma after introductory infintive clauses.

Example: To improve her English, she practised on ego4u every day.

Use a comma after introductory prepositional clauses.

Example: Before he went to New York, he had spent a year in Australia.

Use a comma after introductory participle clauses.

Example: Having said this, he left the room.

Note: In short introductory sentences, the comma is optional and can be dropped.

Commas with Additional Information

Use a comma if the additional information is not part of the main statement.

Example: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.

Note:
Depending on the importance attached to it, additional information can be enclosed in brackets, commas or dashes.
Brackets – not important
Connor (Amy's boyfriend) bought the tickets.
Commas – neutral
Connor, Amy's boyfriend, bought the tickets.
Dashes – emphasised
Connor–Amy's boyfriend–bought the tickets.

Use a comma in relative clauses before who and which if the information is not essential for the understanding of the sentence.

Example: Her brother, who lives in Chicago, came to see her.

Don’t use a comma in relative clauses if the information is essential for the understanding of the sentence.

Example: Her brother who lives in Chicago came to see her.

Don’t use a comma if the relative clause starts with that.

Example: The book that I’m reading now is interesting.

Commas with Opposites

Use a comma with opposites, even if they are separated by and or but.

Example: It was the father, and not the son, who went to the disco every Friday.

Commas as Means of Readability

Commas help to keep the structure of the sentence clear so that the text is easy to read and understand. A text is well structured if the reader knows where to pause.

Beispiel: Above, the eagle flew gracefully through the air.

Note: Without the comma, the sentence might be confusing for the reader as the first three words can be seen as a unit (“Above the eagle …”). Of course, the sentence does not work this way, but the reader might have to read the sentence again to get the message. Using a comma after “above”, the author makes the sentence easier to read and understand.

Punctuation Marks that End Sentences

Full Stop (Period)

Use a full stop (also called »period«) to end affirmative sentences.

Example: I go shopping every day.

Use a full stop to end orders.

Example: Leave me alone.

Exclamation Mark

Use an exclamation mark at the end of a surprised exclamation (usually starting with »how« or »what«).

Example: How awful! What a chaos!

Use an exclamation mark at the end of a wish.

Example: Good luck!

Question Mark

Use a questions mark at the end of a question.

Example: What's your name?

Use a questions mark after question tags.

Example: You are Connor, aren't you?

Use a questions mark at the end of a request.

Example: Could you give me the book, please?

The semi-colon indicates a stronger division than a comma, but a weaker one than a full stop.

Semi-Colon with Enumerations

Use a semi-colon in enumerations if a comma is already used to further separate an item of the sequence.

Example: We have business partners in Edmonton, Canada; Waterford, Ireland; Brisbane, Australia; and Durban, South Africa.

Semi-Colon between Main Clauses

Use a semi-colon between two main clauses if they are not separated by and, or etc.

Example: The rain stopped; the sun came out again.

Use a semi-colon between two main clauses with conjunctions (e.g. and, or) if a comma is used in at least one of the main clauses.

Example: James had, to put it mildly, a lot of problems; and not even his best friend could help him.

Use a semi-colon between two main clauses if the second one starts with an adverb that has to be enclosed in commas (e.g. however, in fact, therefore, nevertheless, moreover, furthermore, still, instead).

Example: He didn't feel well; in fact, he had a very high temperature.

Dashes in English

A dash is used to emphasise what follows.
Use dashes sparingly: not more than a pair per sentences in informal writing and (if possible) not more than a pair per paragraph in formal writing.

Note:
Some computer programs cannot display dashes (–). In this case, type two hyphens (--).
There is no blank before or after a dash in English.

Dashes for Change of Topic or Structure

Use a dash for a change of topic within a sentence.

Example: This is very important–are you listening to me?

Use a dash if the information that follows is surprising and unexpected.

Example: We went shopping in London–and met Robbie Williams.

Dashes in Dialogues

Use a dash to show hesitation.

Example: I–I–I don't know.

Dashes in Summaries and Additional Information

Use a dash to indicate a summarising clause.

Example: Jane, Daniel, Susan and I–we all were taken aback.

Use a dash to indicate an emphasised addition.

Beispiel: He prayed to his God–to Allah.

Use a dash to enclose emphasised additional information which interrupts the normal progression of the sentence.

Example: He wanted us–Caron, Susan and me–to meet his family.

Note:
Depending on the importance attached to it, additional information can be enclosed in brackets, commas or dashes.
Brackets - not important
Connor (Amy's boyfriend) bought the tickets.
Commas - neutral
Connor, Amy's boyfriend, bought the tickets.
Dashes - emphasised
Connor–Amy's boyfriend–bought the tickets.

Brackets (Parentheses) in English

Brackets (also called parentheses) enclose extra information or explanations which interrupt the normal progression of the sentence.

Note:
Full stops, question marks or exclamation marks are usually put outside the brackets (unless the brackets enclose a complete sentence).

Additional Information in Brackets

Additional information is enclosed in brackets if the information is not essential for the understanding of the sentence.

Example: Connor (Amy's boyfriend) bought the tickets.

Abbreviations in Brackets

At the first mentioning of an organisation in a newspaper article, both its abbreviation and the spelled-out form are mentioned, one of which is enclosed in brackets.

Example:
He was an active member of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
He was an active member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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