Common Grammar Errors With Commas

Author:
Cynthia Calhoun
Updated date:
Jun 11, 2022

Cynthia is a digital marketer, writer, and artist. She writes about a variety of topics, especially digital marketing, languages & culture.

Conjunction Junction

The History of the Comma

The comma, which looks like an upside-down apostrophe, 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?" I've used a comma several times already in this little bit of writing. 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.

The Comma's Story

The 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.

The 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 feistyness 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.

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.

Comments

Karenmcg925@gmail.com on August 24, 2019:

Well, being from south Louisiana we don’t use commas or speak with any knowledge of sentence structure. What are you going to do with a group of people who say I’m going to make groceries. And we spell wrong. But, I would like to learn. Merci’

chris varghese on February 11, 2013:

great explanation abt the use of commas

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on July 01, 2012:

Josh - behold the Crazy Cyndi, possessor of Comma Knowledge. :D

Joshua Zerbini from Pennsylvania on June 30, 2012:

Cyndi, again an amazing, intellectual and hilarious hub on grammar! Voted, up, awesome, funny and interesting! :)

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on June 16, 2012:

Julie - WOW! I'm so honored! Thank you so much for your kind words and comments. Now...if I can keep cranking out wacky, humorous grammar hubs, I'll be doing great! :) Hubhugs!

Blurter of Indiscretions from Clinton CT on June 16, 2012:

I just pasted an RSS feed for your grammar posts on my blog. Love them that much!!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on May 08, 2012:

Hi, Cyndi. :) Hehe, my crazy little characters will hopefully help people to figure out those commas. They sure can be little headaches, can't they? Thanks so much for stopping by. It's fun to see another "Cyndi". :)

Cynthia B Turner from Georgia on May 08, 2012:

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.

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on April 24, 2012:

Eric - hehe, that's EXACTLY what my husband says. I speak Spanish, too, and he says that he would have actually looked at the textbook if he knew his future wife was going to speak Spanish. But, hopefully my grammar hubs make it less painful. ;)

Eric Calderwood from USA on April 23, 2012:

Great hub. At age 43, I still need to learn about proper punctuation. I should have studied harder in school.

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 17, 2012:

Thank you, Donna. Mr. Comma certainly has a crazy personality, no? Hehe. Thanks for stopping by! ~CC

Donna Cosmato from USA on February 17, 2012:

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!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 15, 2012:

KimberlyLake - aw, thank you for stopping by! I'm so glad you enjoyed Mr. Comma. He does get around. :) Thank you so much for your warm comments.

Kimberly Lake from California on February 14, 2012:

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!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 14, 2012:

beezico - thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! Glad you liked this hub. :)

Olusola Omo Badmus from London, United Kingdom on February 14, 2012:

I love this one... Really inventive. Thumbs up!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 12, 2012:

And you are my "Millionaire" friend! Thank you so much - this is like the best compliment a writer could have. *Thank you*

Shasta Matova from USA on February 12, 2012:

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!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 10, 2012:

Hehehe...yes, I really don't like it when grammatical types put on airs. ;) Thanks so much for stopping by - I feel like a Millionaire! :D

Shasta Matova from USA on February 10, 2012:

A delightful and entertaining hub that also informs without sounding condescending. Voted up.

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 08, 2012:

katrinasui - hehe, those cantankerous commas are always lurking around. I'm glad you enjoyed this hub. :)

katrinasui on February 08, 2012:

Good to know the history of Comma:)

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 06, 2012:

Hehe, thanks RedElf. I may have to write some more of these. I thought three might be enough, but I keep getting such great feedback about them. :D Thanks so much for your wonderful comments.

RedElf from Canada on February 06, 2012:

I am enjoying your punctuation series.

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 04, 2012:

Ah, yes, Mr. Comma sometimes finds ways to be devious and coy. But, he certainly loves his job and likes when the humans use his services. :D Thanks for stopping by, L.L.

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 04, 2012:

rebeccamealey - hehe. Mr. Comma certainly knows his days are not numbered. I'm glad you liked reading about him. :)

L.L. Woodard from Oklahoma City on February 04, 2012:

Enjoyed reading your rules and examples of usage of the comma, that sometimes elusive tool of punctuation.

Voted up and SHARED.

Rebecca Mealey from Northeastern Georgia, USA on February 04, 2012:

A very fun read. I really enjoyed it. I think Mr.Comma has plenty of job security even with short sentences and the internet!

Cynthia Calhoun (author) from Western NC on February 04, 2012:

Brett - why thank you, sir. :) Mister Comma does lend himself to comedic tendencies when he sees fit. Haha. Thanks for the compliments and comments.

Brett C from Asia on February 04, 2012:

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.