Purdue University Writing Lab Conquering the Comma With help from... The Green Bay Packers!!

Purdue University Writing Lab

Conquering the Comma

With help from . . .

The Green Bay Packers!!


What Is a Comma?

A comma is a punctuation mark that indicates a pause is needed in a sentence.

Commas help to clarify meaning for the reader.

EX: Imagine this sign: Slow, children crossing. Slow children crossing.

EX: How many people are going to the party? James Marshall Linda

Alexander and I are going to the party.

Rule #1: ????

1. My favorite football teams to watch are the Chicago Bears the Green Bay Packers the Arrowhead War Hawks and the Wisconsin Badgers.

2. The song “Green and Yellow” mentions such football stars as Aaron Rodgers Clay Matthews and Troy Polamalu .

3. The Green Bay Packers had one of their best seasons in 1996 because of Brett Favre’s solid passing attack Edgar Bennett’s award winning rush yards Reggie White’s powerful sacks on opposing quarterbacks and Eugene Robinson‘s leading interceptions.

4. Green Bay Packers’ shirts hats stadium cushions and blankets became even more popular after they were dubbed “America’s Team.”


Rule #1:Commas in LISTS

Place commas in a sentence to divide items in a list.

Commas should be placed in series of words, phrases, or clauses.

Always use a comma before the conjunction!



Consider the difference in the following:

Last month, Alex dated Mary Ann Lee and Kim.

Last month, Alex dated Mary, Ann, Lee, and Kim.

Last month, Alex dated Mary Ann, Lee, and Kim.

How many women did Alex date?



YOUR TURN Write 2 sentences that contain lists of

single words or longer phrases with the topic FOOD. Use your commas properly.

Start a page of COMMA SENTENCES. Keep these sentences in your binder. You may be asked to turn these in.

Rule #2: ?????

1. Many people hated Brett Favre for being an old back-stabbing jerk but admired him for being a talented daring quarterback.

2. Donald Driver is one of the best-loved most talented running backs in the NFL and will continue to be after he retires.

3. When I was in high school, I had a dream that many of the award-winning fan-favorite Green Bay Packers came to my school to play basketball against our own team.



Rule #2:Commas with ADJECTIVES

Use commas to separate adjectives that provide an equal description of a noun.

THE TEST:Can you put “and” between the adjectives?Can they be described in reverse order?If so, use a comma.

big blue house three hungry kittens

a cranky, ungrateful man

Abbey Road was one of the Beatles’ best-loved, biggest-selling albums and was released only a few months before the Beatles broke up.

Rule #2:Commas with ADJECTIVES

YOUR TURN Write 2 sentences that include

adjectives which need to be separated by a comma.

Keep these sentences in your binder. Be ready to share them out loud. Your teacher may give you a topic.


Rule #3: ?????

1. Even though I enjoy rooting for other teams the Packers are my number one!

2. In 1996 the Green Bay Packers dominated the NFL and won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

3. Fortunately, for the Packers, the Chicago Bears have not been a successful team in many many years.

4. Convinced that the Packers will one day have another Super Bowl winning season I continue to be a fan.

5. Whenever the Packers and the Bears meet up in a football game it is sure to be an emotionally-charged challenging battle.

Rule #3: Commas with INTRO ELEMENTS

Interjections Hey, where are you going?

Introductory words Well, I find it hard to believe. Yes, Charles agrees with our plan. Oh, did he really say that? Of course, I’ll do it for you

Introductory Adverbs Certainly, you may borrow my book. Frantically, they searched for the lost child.



Longer Phrases At the very top, my father paused to enjoy the view. In the heart of the city, you will find many

skyscrapers. Walking slowly, she reached the subway in about

ten minutes. Written carefully, the speech was a masterpiece. To get to Broadway, they rode in a taxi. To get to the train before it left, she ran all the way.




Dependent Clause A dependent clause

contains a SUBJECT and VERB, but the clause cannot stand independently.

Dependent clauses start with a “dependent clause marker” (subordinate conjunction)

When Elizabeth called 911, the firemen rushed to her rescue.When Elizabeth called 911, the firemen rushed to her rescue. DCM S V S V



Some common dependent clause markers:

because

since

when

while

until

if

as

though

although

unless

after

before

once

whether



Where would you place the comma in the following examples?

After the movie ended we went out for coffee.

Since it was raining we decided to go to the movies.

Once the movie began I fell asleep.

Since it was raining, we decided to go to the movies. DCM S V S V

Once the movie began, I fell asleep.DCM S V S V

After the movie ended, we went out for coffee.DCM S V S V


YOUR TURN Write 3 sentences that contain different

kinds of intro elements and that are punctuated properly.

Keep these sentences in your binder. Be ready to share them out loud. Your teacher may give you a topic.


Rule #4: ?????

1. Mike Holmgren served as the head coach for the Packers in 1996 when they won the Super Bowl but now is the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

2. Vince Lombari served as the Packers’ head coach for seven years and he was the only person to participate in both of the Packers’ 5 championship seasons, as one of the greatest coaches of all time.

3. Dianna Favre’s battle with breast cancer affected thousands of people nation-wide for she was a well-loved well-respected wife and human being who spent many years promoting breast cancer awareness and other charitable causes.


Rule #4: Commas inCOMPOUND SENTENCES

A sentence that contains TWO independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction is called a compound sentence.

An independent clause has a SUBJECT and a VERB and expresses a COMPLETE THOUGHT

IC, conj IC.

Conjunctions for and nor but or yet so

FANBOYS



The comma in a compound sentence is placed before the coordinating conjunction.

Andy built a snowman, and Jeff played with his dog.

S V conj.

Andy built a snowman, and

Jeff played with his dog.

S V


Where would you place the comma in the following sentence?


Dan struggled with his homework so his father helped him.Dan struggled with his homework, so his father helped him. S V conj. S V


YOUR TURN Write TWO compound sentences that are

about the chapters of Catcher in the Rye that we have just read.

Use a different conjunction for each sentence. Keep these sentences in your binder. Be ready to share them out loud. EX: Holden felt so alone at Pencey, so he

decided to leave three days early.


Rule #5: ????

1. The Green Bay Packers are a superior team in my opinion have recorded more regular season and overall victories than any other NFL franchise.

2. The Packers who seem to be hated by most Bears fans recorded its most recent Super Bowl Championship win last January.

3. The Packers one of only remaining franchises since the founding of the NFL were founded in 1921.

4. We took the bus not our car to Green Bay to see the best football team ever.

5. Fortunately many of my students understand the undying loyalty and affection that I have for my favorite team the Packers.

Rule #5: Commas with INTERRUPTERS

Direct Address Please, Ben, could you help me?

Contrasting Expressions We took the subway, not the bus, to work yesterday.

Parenthetical Expressions The tennis match, therefore, was held after the rain shower. I am explaining his theory, I believe, as clearly as I can.

Common Parenthetical Expressions

after all for instance of course by the way

I believe on the contrary however for example

moreover in my opinion nevertheless to tell the truth



Appositives

An appositive with its modifiers identifies or explains a noun or pronoun in the sentence.

Examples (appositives are in bold):

Aerobics, a type of exercise, is fun to do.

Hanna received a wonderful present, a down vest.




An ESSENTIAL clause or phrase is used to modify a noun.

It also adds information that is critical to the meaning of the sentence.

Essential clauses are NOT set off by commas.


The people who work in my office are so uptight!

Rule #5:Essential INTERRUPTERS

S essential phrase V

Without the essential phrase, this sentence does not make complete sense : The people are so uptight!


The martini that I had at Joe’s was much better than this one!


S essential V

The word “that” is almost always an indicator of an essential phrase or clause.



The train that goes to Chicago is on track B.

The person receiving the package must sign for it.

Players who are over six feet tall have an advantage in basketball.


Rule #5: Nonessential INTERRUPTERS

A NONESSENTIAL phrase or clause adds extra information to a sentence.

This information can be eliminated from the sentence without jeopardizing the meaning of the sentence.

Always place commas around nonessential phrases and clauses.


My brother, who lives across town, plans to throw a party! S non-essential V

Even without the phrase the sentence still makes sense :

My brother plans to throw a party!

(She has ONE brother who happens to live across town.)


My brother who lives across town plans to throw a party!

(She has SEVERAL brothers, but the one throwing the party is the one who happens to live across town. This time the phrase is essential.)

BUT . . .BUT . . .


Steve said that he would propose to me on Valentine’s Day, which is my favorite holiday!

S V

non-essential

Use commas to set off additional information



Rule #5: Essential or Nonessential?

I am planning a trip to Paris which is one of the greatest cities in the world.

No comma is needed. The sentence is correct.

The place that I would most like to see is the Eiffel Tower.

Pierre who is one of my business contacts will meet me at the airport.

I am planning a trip to Paris, which is one of the greatest cities in the world.

Pierre, who is one of my business contacts, will meet me at the airport.



The speed limit which is strictly enforced helps decrease traffic accidents.

The jet making a forced landing has mechanical trouble.

My ice skates which had been packed in a carton were lost in the move to our new house.

The bird perched on the tree outside the window awakened me with its chirping.



Carolyn who was the first speaker introduced the subject.

The girl who was the first speaker is Carolyn Davis.


YOUR TURN Write THREE sentences that are about the

chapters of Catcher in the Rye that we have just read.

Use a different type of interrupter for each sentence.

Keep these sentences in your binder. Be ready to share them out loud.



QUICK REVIEW: How would you correct the following sentences?

This semester I am taking calculus physics and economics.

Calculus is my best subject, I am certain I will get an A.

Although I am very busy I still find time to have fun.

Last weekend my brother visited me and we went to a football game a party and a rock concert.

This semester I am taking calculus, physics, and economics.

Calculus is my best subject, and I am certain I will get an A.

Although I am very busy, I still find time to have fun.

Last weekend my brother visited me, and we went to a football game, a party, and a rock concert.


A Common Comma Error:The Comma Splice

A comma splice is an error in which two independent clauses are joined only by a comma.

We had a nice time, I hope we can meet again soon.

S V S V

The Internet has revolutionized the business world,S V

online sales have increased dramatically this year. S V


To Correct a Comma Splice

Insert a conjunction between the two independent clauses.

Start a new sentence. Insert a semi-colon between the two independent

clauses (only in cases where the independent clauses are closely related in topic).

•We had a nice time, and I hope we can meet again soon.•We had a nice time. I hope we can meet again soon.

•The Internet has revolutionized the business world; online sales have increased dramatically this year.


More on Dependent Clauses

When a dependent clause is

located after an independent clause,

DO NOT place a comma between the two.

I went on the roller coaster because my brother dared me.

S V DCM S V

I became very sick when the S V DCMroller coaster zoomed upside down. S V

IC DC.


Dependent Clauses – YOUR TURN

Write TWO sentences with DEPENDENT clauses in them.

The first should have the DEP clause at the BEGINNING.

The second should have the DEP clause at the END.

Write your sentences about the current chapters of Catcher in the Rye.

Purdue University Writing Lab Conquering the Comma With help from... The Green Bay Packers!!

Documents

lists place commas

page of comma sentences

song green

mary ann lee

separate adjectives

alex date

lists of single words

favorite football teams