Punctuation

Punctuation can be tricky with the comma and semicolon often becoming the Achilles Heel of the student writer. This guide provides a quick overview of some of the most basic punctuation marks with a list of tips for using these marks effectively.

Commas

Think of the comma as a signal to your readers that they need to briefly pause. Rhetorically, the comma should assist a reader in understanding your sentence as the comma(s) help organize and structure your thoughts. Some of the most common uses for the comma are as follows:

• Listing: Any time you have a list of three or more items, commas are required for clarity.
  • Example: We went to the grocery store, the mall, and the post office.

* The Oxford Comma: Some authors don't use the last comma anymore and that is acceptable; however, to be safe, always use the oxford comma to ensure clarity for readers.

• Joining Two Thoughts (independent clauses): When you have two ideas that can stand alone, meaning they each have a subject and verb and make sense alone, you can join them together with a coordinating conjunction and a comma.
  • FANBOY is a helpful acronym to remember the coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet.
  • Example: Writing is really fun, but it can be difficult at times.
• Separating Introductory Phrases and Dependent Clauses: When you have a phrase or clause at the beginning of a sentence that cannot stand alone, use a comma to separate it from the main idea.
  • Example (introductory phrase): While at the beach last week, I got terribly sunburned.
  • Example (dependent clause): While we were at the beach last week, I got terribly sunburned.

This link has more helpful rules and examples to increase your ethos as a writer by utilizing commas rhetorically to guide your readers through your writing.