Newsroom 101The Comma, an Introduction with ExercisesBy our count, the comma is a culprit in more than 25 percent of the most common errors in grammar, usage and AP style. You can improve your error rate significantly by learning when to use commas [no comma here] and when to leave them out.You
might argue that few of these errors cause readers to misunderstand
what you wrote. But copy editors don't accept that argument. In writing
and editing, [comma] you have to get things right, [comma] whether you
think it matters or not. It's
a bit like basketball. The sidelines, the size of the hoop, the length
of quarters, the position of the three-point arc -- all these are
arbitrary. They don't matter. But they do matter, because, without
them, [note the commas] there is no game. Unless you bother to learn to use commas correctly, [comma] you can't play the game of writing and editing journalism. So what will it be? Do you want to play the game, [comma] or do you just want to sit on the sidelines? After studying each section in the list below, complete the practice exercises at the end of that section. Commas between Elements in a Series Commas After Introductory Clauses and Phrases Commas before Conjunctions Abusing Commas Commas between Equal Adjectives Commas with Quotes Commas in other situations Hometowns, Ages,
Cities/States/Countries, Party Affiliations and Academic Degrees, i.e.
and e.g., Direct ddress, large numbers Commas With Essential and Nonessential Elements We have a separate section on how commas are used with (take a deep
breath) essential and nonessential clauses and phrases (which, you will
be glad to know, are also called restrictive and non-restrictive clauses and phrases. Whew.)
When you are ready, go there. (You might want to get something to eat first.) Back to Newsroom101.com All original materia on this site is copyrighted © 2008 by Gerald Grow |