by Allen Teal

Created on: January 23, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

Comma usage is really not that hard if you understand sentence structure and have a reasonable grasp on grammar. Commas are meant to do four things. They highlight what would be a natural pause in conversational speaking. Additionally, they set apart the main subject and verb of a sentence from their modifiers if the modifying words, prhases, or clauses precede them or separate them. After this, a comma is used between items in a list consisting of three or more items like "words, phrases, or clauses" in the previous sentence.

Commas also separate compound sentences that include two or more sentences. A conjunction like "and, or, but" must link the sentences, and the comma goes before the conjunction as you see in this sentence.

When a dependent clause precedes an independent clause or interrupts it, it must be followed by comma. If it interrupts the clause, it must be preceded and followed by a comma. Even a dependent clause at the end of a sentence must be preceded with a comma if it is started with the word "which." An appositive would also be set off with commas because it interrupts any clause in which it's found.

Do not overuse commas or your writing will seem broken and hard to follow. It's fun to, at times, mix in a semi-colon or two just to confuse people with your skill at using this ugly relative to the comma. Use a semi-colon in place of a comma when a list has multiple parts. Separate the multiple parts within the list with commas and the major parts with semi-colons. You can link sentences without a conjunction if you do so with a semi-colon between them.

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