The Comma: Common Grammar Errors
Conjunction Junction - And, Or, But - School House Rock
The Comma - A Little History
The comma, that little mark related to the apostrophe in its looks, is one that causes such angst to many a writer. Whether to leave it or omit it is a gray area, even for the best of writers.
You may ask, "Who needs commas?"
Given that I've used a comma four times already in this little bit of writing may indicate that I need commas.
They're such trite little buggers, aren't they?
The comma wasn't always part of the English language. In fact, its use has only been documented for about five centuries. Monks and other esoteric types needed a way to separate text so they could read it aloud. Imagine having to read something like this to an audience:
IFYOUCANREADTHISTHENYOU
AREAMAZINGBECAUSETHE
MONKSFINALLYHADTOCOME
UPWITHASYSTEMTOFIGURE
OUTHOWTOPUTPAUSESAND
OTHERQUESTIONSINTHETEXT
ANDLETTERSWEREINBIG
BLOCKSOFTEXT.
So, you can see why literary types went on to adopt a system of marks and pauses - comprehension and knowing when a person could take a breath were important.
Things today are a little different. We have, little by little, been using punctuation less and less. We write shorter sentences, especially for the internet.
So, who's to say what's to become of the comma? Well, for now, it's still essential. I will tell you why in Mister Comma's story.
Mister Comma's Story
Mister Comma is at once tiny and ubiquitous in everyday writing. But, his job has become easier over the years.
Authors of yesteryear lived to write ornate, descriptive sentences. Charles Dickens, for example, would have page-long sentences on occasion - filled with commas, semicolons and dashes.
Mister Comma was always happy about this. He has helped to decorate sentences, painting scenes inside the reader's head with adverbial phrases and interjections, for generations. If anyone has job security, it is the comma.
Mister Comma knows his job is still secure, though. Many a sentence could not go on without him. Take, for instance, the following sentence:
She went to the store and bought cookies, chocolate, cream cakes, ice cream and candy.
Aside from such sweet pleasures as candy and cookies, Mister Comma avails himself in lists to avoid confusion.
Without the correct use of Mister Comma, something different could happen:
She went to the store and bought cookies chocolate cream cakes ice cream and candy.
I think I'd like to try the flavor "cookies chocolate cream cakes" ice cream.
Mister Comma will also tell you that he won't go in before the "and" in a list. He has other things to do anyway.
Of course, some literary types will insist that Mister Comma properly performs his job duties and that he insert himself before the last "and" in a list. It depends on the feisty-ness of the writer. Really, some circles say he should, and some say he shouldn't. He doesn't like that aspect of his job: too many conflicting points of view drive him a little crazy.
Mister Comma Loves But's, And's, Or's, Yet's, and Other Conjunctions
Mister Comma always chuckles at the word conjunctions. They always remind him of that icky eye disease conjunctivitis. He has to wonder who makes up these words? But then he thinks about the roots of English and wonders no more - so varied with Latin and Greek origins, and borrowed words from other languages.
In any case, he also has an affection for the beloved conjunction because sentences need Mister Comma.
She cried and cried, but she still wouldn't leave that job.
Jake played with his toys for hours, yet he didn't finish his homework.
Mister Comma wouldn't have it any other way.
Do You Think the Comma Will Become Obsolete?
Mister Comma's Job Description Is Extensive
Mister Comma loves these little words called interjections. They're little one-word insertions that express an emotion or a command. They may or may not carry meaning.
Stop, or I'm going to tell Mom!
Geez, why do you do that?
Mister Comma sometimes like to think of himself as quite the grammatical guru. He especially hangs out around those parenthetical phrases. He won't tell you, however, that parenthetical phrases are really parts of sentences that aren't necessary to get the point across.
I am, without a doubt, going slowly insane.
Without a doubt? Really? Did I really have to insert "without a doubt" to know that I'm going slowly insane? Mister Comma will gladly say otherwise. He'll agree, without a doubt.
Her hair, straggly and greasy, is getting long.
Mister Comma will tell you that straggly and greasy is essential for his use in the above sentence, but it makes no difference to the fact that some girl's hair is getting long. We don't have to know that her hair is straggly and greasy, unless we feel like gossiping.
Some Final Notes About Mister Comma's Job
He advises you not to be stupid. It's part of his job, you see.
Use him in logical places so that there are natural pauses in the sentence. Also use him in places where you don't want to change the meaning of the sentence.
Mason walked on his feet, a little more sore than usual.
Mister Comma wants to know something. Did you really mean what you said in the above sentence? Or did you mean:
Mason walked on, his feet a little more sore than usual.
Are we talking about Mason being sore or are we talking about Mason walking on? See? Don't be stupid. Mister Comma will not tell you when you're being ambiguous and crazy; he'll just do what you ask him to do because only you know what you're really trying to say.
Here's another example:
Parents eat free food with your children.
Mister Comma wants to know how you can enjoy food with children in it. He must insist you employ him more effectively here:
Parents, eat free food, with your children.
Yes, this was on your neighborhood church sign.
Use Mister Comma with a little wisdom and he'll be more likely to be understood, correctly, the first time.
© 2012 Cynthia Calhoun
Comments
great explanation abt the use of commas
Cyndi, again an amazing, intellectual and hilarious hub on grammar! Voted, up, awesome, funny and interesting! :)
I just pasted an RSS feed for your grammar posts on my blog. Love them that much!!
Hello Cyndi, I love your little characters! Thanks so much for clearing up the coma in a list before "and." I was taught you didn't need it and later had others to vehemently (you know how people can be) tell that I did need. Now, whatever my fingers type (or not) that what happens to the comma before "and." Other pieces of comma info were appreciated, too. Thanks for writing. Voted up and Sharing.
Great hub. At age 43, I still need to learn about proper punctuation. I should have studied harder in school.
Thanks to you and Mr. Comma for an entertaining and enlightening read on his many duties and tasks. Great tutorial for students, educators, writers...well, really just about anyone!
Very, very, enjoyable. Mr. Comma gets around, can't live with him, can't live without him. Looking forward to many, many more hubs from you!
I love this one... Really inventive. Thumbs up!
Hey I'm back to let you know that I have included this hub in my weekly favorites. Knowledge is wealth, so you are a Millionaire in that regard!
A delightful and entertaining hub that also informs without sounding condescending. Voted up.
Good to know the history of Comma:)
I am enjoying your punctuation series.
Enjoyed reading your rules and examples of usage of the comma, that sometimes elusive tool of punctuation.
Voted up and SHARED.
A very fun read. I really enjoyed it. I think Mr.Comma has plenty of job security even with short sentences and the internet!
Up, funny, useful and AWESOME!
I love the way that you explain the comma's use in such a detailed way, while keeping it fun and light to read ... really nice job!
SHARING SOCIALLY and Tweeting.
Thanks for illustrating how to properly use the comma. We do not want the church people thinking that children are also on the menu! Haha!
Don't underestimate the little comma, it is taking over the semicolon's territory.
I'm actually in comma rehab. I'll do better one day! Oh, and please write about semicolons. I am so scared of them!
Excellent hub!
Awesome hub and so much needed. Thank you for sharing this great information. Voted up and will be sharing.
Excellent hub, thank you. I've never had much trouble with the comma (I love using them), but I do know some who have and I think your article will definatley help them.
Now I've said that I'm getting comma paranoia!
Voted up and interesting.
What an amusing style to write about grammar. Your illustrative article is useful and informative
@cclitgirl - Grammar is far too interesting to me. I have a whole comma lesson plan I developed with easy to understand examples such as those. I realize the struggle people have with grammar because it is such a complex thing.
@Cliff - You should definitely use the serial, Oxford, Harvard, or whatever you want to call it comma. Take a look at the following two sentences.
I dedicate this book to my parents, John and Susan.
I dedicate this book to my parents, John, and Susan.
The comma completely changes the meaning of the sentence. In the first sentence, the book is being dedicated to two people. Those two people are the author's parents. Because the serial comma is not used, it turns into an appositive. In the second sentence, the book is dedicated to four people. The use of the serial comma in this sentence entirely changes meaning. While in some setences the meaning won't be altered, it is still correct to use it.
Great hub! You managed to shed light on a misunderstood piece of punctuation and still make it amusing. I wish all of my ex-students could read this.
Good review for hubbers and a necessary read for all writers. Voting this Up and Useful.
IAMAMAZINGBECAUSEIREADTHOSEBIGBLOCKSOFTEXT
Creative way of explaining how to use commas the right way. I'm still having difficulties in deciding whether I should use a serial comma or not. I still have a lot to learn about the English language. Good job sharing this one.
Fantastic hub yet again. My favorite things about the comma is that it allows us, as writers, to control the pace of the text. It allows us to insert those pauses, mimicking the conversational quality in the offspring of our brains.
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