19.10: Common Errors in Comma Usage
- Page ID
- 223623
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)As mentioned in the introduction to this chapter, it is easy to misuse commas, and doing so can lead to a confusing reading experience. In particular, you should try to avoid comma splices and the inclusion of commas between subjects and verbs or objects and verbs.
Avoiding Comma Splices
Among the most common sentence level errors in novice essays, comma splices occur when you connect two independent clauses with a comma (and no coordinating conjunction).
Example: The professor gave our essays back, I was relieved to see my grade.
Here, you have two independent clauses joined without any proper connecting words or punctuation. If you can place a period between the two portions of your sentence and each portion stands alone, you are dealing with a comma splice. Once you’ve determined that a splice exists, you can use a few different methods to fix it.
To fix a comma splice, you can:
1) Add a coordinating conjunction after the comma
The professor gave our essays back, and I was relieved to see my grade.
2) Change the comma to a semicolon
The professor gave our essays back; I was relieved to see my grade.
3) Turn each independent clause into its own sentence by changing the comma to a period.
The professor gave our essays back. I was relieved to see my grade.
Pause and Reflect: How do these different fixes impact the meaning of the sentence? When might you want to use one over the other?
Choosing a method to fix a comma splice
If you find a comma splice during the proofreading stage, look around the rest of the paragraph to determine which of these three methods is most appropriate based on the surrounding sentences. For example, if you have used mostly simple sentences in a paragraph, you might choose to add a coordinating conjunction to fix the splice. This option would create a compound sentence and decrease the choppiness of the paragraph. Similarly, if you have mostly compound and complex sentences in a paragraph, you might choose to add a period and split the two independent clauses into their own sentences; this option would create two simple sentences and give readers a break between longer thoughts. For additional discussion of the comma splice, see Chapter 9: Common Sentence Errors.
Commas between subjects and verbs/commas between objects and verbs
When using commas, fight the impulse to add them wherever you might naturally pause in spoken conversation; in writing, unnecessary pauses in a sentence (represented by commas) can lead to confusion for readers and negatively impact the flow of ideas. If you are unsure about where a comma should go, look closely at the sentence and think about how the various parts of that sentence (subject, verb, object, adjective, etc.) are working together to create meaning. As review, subjects, verbs, and objects play crucial roles in sentences, and these roles center on action. A subject acts, a verb is an action, and an object is acted upon. Because there is a clear relationship between these elements, you should avoid separating them with commas, as they must stay together for clarity.
Example of comma between subject and verb: Melinda, presents on Thursday.
Here, the subject of the sentence (“Melinda”) is separated from the verb (“presents”), and the resulting structure of the sentence makes it look as though our subject is not essential to the sentence, which is clearly not the case.
Fixed sentence: Melinda presents on Thursday.
Example of comma between verb and object: I charged, the laptop before class.
Here, the object (“the laptop”) is separated from the verb (“charged”), which breaks up the sentence in an unnatural and unnecessary way.
Fixed sentence: I charged the laptop before class.