Commas for Lunch

Your host: David Bowman, Precise Edit

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 2

What’s on the menu today?APPETIZER:

• What commas do

MAIN COURSE• Series• Independent clauses• Introductory phrases and clauses• Appositives• Direct addresses• Connectives

DESERT• Where no comma should go

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 3

Appetizer: What commas do

Divide major elements of a sentence

Divide components of a sentence into discrete units

Help the reader understand your meaning

And with that in mind…

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 4

MAIN COURSE:Where do you put the commas?

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 5

Commas in series

Rule:Put a comma after every item in a series except the last.

Purpose:Identify items/groups in series

Ex: We ate hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips.

(serial comma)

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 6

Commas in series

Sometimes.

But sometimes it contributes to clarity.

What we do sometimes for clarity

we do all the time for consistency.

“Hey! Isn’t that comma unnecessary?”

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 7

Commas in series

When it seems unnecessary:

John introduced the president, his chief of staff and the board members.

Our paper supply, toner and ink are empty.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 8

Commas in series

When it is necessary:

The board acted on the resolution, proposal and recommendation and request.

How many actions: 2, 3, or 4?

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 9

Commas in series

When it is necessary:

3 actions!

The board acted on the resolution, proposal, and recommendation and request.

1 2

3

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 10

Commas in series

When it is necessary:

We wrote letters to our board members, President Obama and Paris Hilton.

So…Obama and Paris Hilton are our board members? This needs a comma!

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 11

Comma Rule #1

Add a comma after every item in a series

except the last.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 12

Joining independent clauses

First, a definition.

Independent Clauses:• Have a subject and predicate• Can serve as a complete sentence

Ex: The company grew, and the owners profited.1 2

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 13

Joining independent clauses

Rule:Put a comma before conjunctions that join independent clauses.(and, or, but, yet, for, so, nor)

Purpose:Identify main ideas in your sentence

Ex: The company grew, and the owners profited.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 14

Joining independent clauses

“Hey! Isn’t that comma unnecessary?”

Sometimes.

But sometimes it contributes to clarity.

What we do sometimes for claritywe do all the time for consistency.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 15

Joining independent clauses

When it seems unnecessary:

The wind blew and the rain fell.

He drove for hours and soon he was lost.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 16

Joining independent clauses

When it is necessary:

Dogs like running and jumping is good for them.

Dogs like running and jumping, right?

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 17

Joining independent clauses

When it is necessary:

Dogs like running, and jumping is good for them.

Two ideas: 1) Dogs like running.

2) Jumping is good for them.

© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 18

More resources

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Books and resources by

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Editorof Precise Edit

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© 2010, Precise Edit Commas for Lunch with David Bowman, Precise Edit,author of 300 Days of Better Writing 19

Commas for Lunch

End of sample slides for “Commas for Lunch”

1-hour live online course withDavid Bowman, Chief Editor of Precise Edit and author of

300 Days of Better Writing

Course cost: $9.95Enrollment limited to 18 participants per course.

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