Several months ago, we posted a lesson on the five basic ways to use the comma in English. How comfortable are you with using the comma? And are you using it correctly? Today we have some practice sentences for you to test your punctuation skills.
Before we begin, here is a refresher on the five basic rules for using the comma:
RULE ONE: USE A COMMA TO LIST THINGS.
- Today I ate pizza, pasta, and a burger!
RULE TWO: USE A COMMA TO MAKE A COMPOUND SENTENCE. YOU WILL OFTEN ALSO USE AND, BUT, YET, SO, OR NOR TO JOIN THE SENTENCES.
- I kept the picture, and I later had it framed.
RULE THREE: USE A COMMA WITH INTRODUCTORY PHRASES LIKE IN ADDITION, FOR EXAMPLE, IN FACT, HOWEVER, MEANWHILE, THEREFORE, AND ON THE OTHER HAND.
- I enjoy softball. In addition, I enjoy tennis.
RULE FOUR: USE A COMMA TO INTRODUCE A QUOTE.
- She remarked, “I have always loved the rain.”
RULE FIVE: USE A COMMA WITH WORDS THAT SHOW AN ORDER OR TRANSITION.
- I had a busy day yesterday. First, I went to the gym. Next, I went to the bank. Then, I went grocery shopping.
Practice with commas
Test your knowledge of these rules with a practice test for commas! Do the following sentences require an additional comma (or perhaps two), the omission of an existing one (or two), or both? Answers and explanations follow.
1. During our spring break we had fun swimming, scuba-diving, snorkeling and sunbathing.
2. I love my sister, and my brother, the same.
3. He bought her a diamond necklace, but she still won’t go on a date with him.
4. I enjoy chocolate and milk yet I do not like chocolate milk.
5. She is from Japan. Therefore, she speaks Japanese.
6. She is from Japan, so she speaks Japanese.
7. She grimly said, “We need to have a talk.”
8. He muttered “We have needed to talk for a while.”
9. I can’t believe what a terrible day I had. First I slept through my alarm and was late for work. Then I spilled coffee all over myself.
10. There are five simple steps to boiling an egg. First, you put the egg in a pot of cold water. Then, you put the pot on a stove over high heat. Next, you wait until the water boils. After, you remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 8 minutes. Finally, you rinse the egg with cold water.
Answers (Plus Explanations)
1. During our spring break we had fun swimming, scuba-diving, snorkeling and sunbathing.
OK. You could also add a comma after “snorkeling.” Whether or not to do this is a topic of debate for grammarians.
2. I love my sister, and my brother, the same.
Incorrect. This is not a list, so it does not need the comma. The sentence should be:
I love my sister and my brother the same.
3. He bought her a diamond necklace, but she still won’t go on a date with him.
OK. A comma precedes words like “but” and “so” and “yet.”
4. I enjoy chocolate and milk yet I do not like chocolate milk.
Incorrect. Because a comma precedes words like “but” and “so” and “yet,” the sentence should be:
I enjoy chocolate and milk, yet I do not like chocolate milk.
5. She is from Japan. Therefore, she speaks Japanese.
OK. Words like “therefore” and “however” need a comma after.
6. She is from Japan, so she speaks Japanese.
OK. A comma should precede “so.”
7. She grimly said, “We need to have a talk.”
OK. A comma should be used before a quote.
8. He muttered “We have needed to talk for a while.”
Incorrect. A comma should be used before a quote. Therefore, the sentence should read:
He muttered, “We have needed to talk for a while.”
9. I can’t believe what a terrible day I had. First I slept through my alarm and was late for work. Then I spilled coffee all over myself.
Incorrect. Words that show an order should have a comma after. The sentence should read:
I can’t believe what a terrible day I had. First, I slept through my alarm and was late for work. Then, I spilled coffee all over myself.
10. There are five simple steps to boiling an egg. First, you put the egg in a pot of cold water. Then, you put the pot on a stove over high heat. Next, you wait until the water boils. After, you remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 8 minutes. Finally, you rinse the egg with cold water.
Correct. All of the words that show an order have a comma.