Punctuation Mark Comma Where and How We Use it with Examples

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Punctuation Mark Comma with Examples and Use

Hello everyone! In this blog, we are going to learn about punctuation mark comma how we use it, and where. I have completely explained about the comma and its usage. Punctuation marks are very essential in writing especially in essays we face different problems while using punctuation marks so, in this blog you will learn how to use commas.

Punctuation mark Comma

Note: “Comma” before “and” or “or” is optional in American English; it can be omitted.

I bought a book, a pen, a register, and a sharpener. Did he buy a book, a pen or a register?

She wrote a letter, a novel, a drama, and a story.

Was she writing a letter, a novel, or a story? He ate an apple, an orange, a banana, and a mango.

Is he eating an apple, an orange, or a mango?

He is fat, strong, and tall.

Is he fat, strong, tall, or short?

Note: When “and” connects two nouns that are closely linked, a determiner “a/an” is usually used before both nouns but is not normally repeated before the second noun in British English.

a/an is usually used

He has a bus and a car.

a/an is not normally used

He has a bus and car.

Give me a knife and a fork.

Give me a knife and fork.

Note: “Commas” are not used between the phrasal adjectives.

She is a fifteen-year-old girl.

phrasal adj

I was on a 20-day tour of England.

phrasal adj

The prime minister of England is on a three-day visit to Pakistan.

phrasal adj

Note: When the dependent clauses come before the independent clauses, do “commas” come between them? ex

If he works hard, he will succeed.

Unless he finishes his work, don’t let him go. As soon as he comes, send him to me.

On condition that you tell me the truth, I will forgive you. Note: Independent clauses are separated by full stops and each independent clause starts with a capital letter. It is incorrect to separate independent clauses by commas.

Correct

They like chess, he likes cricket.

We were working, he was sleeping.

He teaches in a school, she teaches in a college.

They like chess, he likes cricket.

Incorrect

We were working. He was sleeping.

He teaches in a school. She teaches in a college.

They like chess. He likes cricket.

Note: If the independent clauses, which are connected by the coordinating conjunctions, are too short, a comma is not used before “and, but, and or”.

He is honest but she is dishonest. She is simple but he is clever.

They were sad and he was happy. He is intelligent or we are dull. They are fit and you are unfit.

I ate an apple and he ate a mango.

Question: What are “coordinate adjectives”?

Answer: The adjectives that modify a noun and if “and” can come between the adjectives instead of comma, are called co-ordinate adjectives. Note: If two co-ordinate adjectives modify the same noun, “and” usually comes between them; but sometimes comma is used instead of “and”; both are equally correct.

He is an intelligent, hardworking worker.=

He is an intelligent and hardworking worker.

He stays in a big, expensive hotel.

He stays in a big and expensive hotel.

They were experienced, fast drivers.

They were experienced and fast drivers.

Note: Each pair of words connected by “and” is separated by commas.

Rich and poor, black and white, kings and slaves are equal in Islam. Humans and animals, angels and fairies, all are creatures of God. Intelligent and foolish, poor and rich, beasts and reptiles, all are given living by God.

Note: If a subject has two predicates connected by “and” or “but”, a comma is not usually used. ex

He jumped over me and sat on the chair. predicate + and + Predicate He sat on the chair and took off his coat. predicate + and + Predicate He tried twice but could not pass C.S.S.

predicate + but + Predicate I came many times but could not meet you. but Predicate + predicate.

Note: The contrasting ideas, “but” or “not” connecting words in them, are usually separated by “commas”.

We ordered meat, not rice.

We like them, not him. Students should be encouraged, not discouraged.

The problem is not how to go to Karachi, but when to go. Money must be saved, not wasted.

The poor must be respected, not disabled. Note: If a subject has more than two predicates, “comma” usually comes after each it even comes between the last two predicates before “and”. ex

He sat on the chair, took out a notebook, and started writing.

He came running, jumped over me, and sat on the chair. Note: If a sentence has two subjects connected by “and”, “comma” is not used.

Ali and Asad are working hard.

You and I will go to Karachi.

Note: When conjunctions are used between the words and phrases in series, “commas” are not used.

Teachers must be hardworking and honest. The house should be open airy and beautiful.

Note: When conjunctions are used between the adjectives, nouns, or phrases in series, no “commas” are used. ex

He is needy using drugs or jobless..

He is a doctor an engineer or a teacher.

Teachers must be honest hardworking and able. Teachers must be honest, hardworking, and able. Girls must be educated intelligent and modest. = Girls must be educated, intelligent, and modest.

A successful person is always clever sharp and tactful. = A successful person is always clever, sharp, and tactful.

Direct and Indirect

Note: “Comma” comes after the reporting speech if the reporting speech comes before the reported speech.

He says, “I am going to Karachi.” They said. “We will support you.”

Note: The reporting speech usually comes before the reported speech, but sometimes the reporting speech comes after the reported speech. When the reporting speech comes after the reported speech, comma follows the reported speech and is closed by inverted commas including the reported speech, and full stop comes after the reporting speech.

“I am going to Karachi,” he says. “We will support you,” they said.

Note: Sometimes the reported speech is interrupted and parted into two parts by the reporting speech. When the reported speech is interrupted and parted into two parts, the first part is followed by a comma and closed by inverted commas with the followed comma, and the second part is followed by a full stop and closed by inverted commas with the full stop. The interrupting reporting speech is followed by a comma as usual.

“I will go to Karachi,” said Mrs Nadeem, “If I am given leave.”

“We will support you,” they said, “When you call us to help.”

Note: If there are two or more two sentences in a reported speech, put the inverted commas at the beginning and the end of the reported speech, and punctuate the inside sentences of the speech according to the rules of punctuation. Note: Don’t enclose each sentence of the reported speech by inverted reported commas.

Correct

Ali said, “I know. He is a good.

“Have you been his neighbor?”

Incorrect

Ali said, “I know.” “He is a good person.

Have you been his person?”

Note: In addresses, after each adverb of place, “comma” comes.

I live on Jail road, Hudda, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Note: Interrupting adverbs are usually separated by “commas”.

We, unfortunately, missed the train. They, luckily, reached safe and sound.

Note: In British English, to write the date, a comma is used before the year, but is not very common unless the date is in a complete sentence. Note: If the date is in a complete sentence, then, “comma” is common before the year in British English.

10th April, 1999. or 10th April 1999. But, I met him on 10th April 1999. (Here comma is necessary because it is a complete sentence.) 14th August, 1947. or 14th August 1947. But, Pakistan got freedom on the 14th of 1947.

Note: See the detailed usage of writing and telling the date in book no. 3 of Base I, on page no. 10-14. Note: Comma is commonly used before the year in American English.

10th April, 1999. 14th August, 1947.

5th June, 1990.

Note: If the date is the introductory subject of the sentence, “comma” is not used after it and if it is an introductory phrase, not a subject, “comma” is used after it.

On December 14th, 1970, I was born in Quetta. Introductory phrase sub-predicate

December 14th, 1970 is my birthday.

Note: If date is not present and only month and year are present, “comma” is not used.

We came in July 1970.

They migrated in May 1999.

Note: If a person is being addressed directly, comma comes right after his name. If the name of the person comes in the sentence, “comma” comes before and after the name.

Mother, may I help you?

Father, when will we go home? Oh, God, save us from evils.

Mr. Asif, have you been to Challenger before? Mr. Ali, have you read my books?

Mrs. Nadeem, how long have you been waiting for?

Mr. Ahmed, will you pass me the sugar, please? I told you, Asif, that they will cheat you.

Mr. Munir, can you bring me a glass of water?

Note: Usually a name comes before a sentence, sometimes it comes at the end of a sentence; if the name comes at the end of the sentence, “comma” comes before it.

Have you been to Challenger before, Mr. Asif?

How long have you been waiting for, Mrs Nadeem?

Note: The words or phrases that are in apposition (are used to clarify the noun) are separated by commas.

Our new sales manager. Mr. John from England will visit your office tomorrow Our class in charge, Mr. Asif, has got a job. My colleague, Mr. Javaid, is going to resign.

Our ex-teacher, Mr. Sami Khan, is our grammar teacher.

Kashmiri leader, Mr Yawar Ayub, passed away in England.

Note: If an appositive comes at the end of a sentence, a comma comes before it.

I met their professor, Mr. Shafique Ahmed.

He is my favorite teacher, Asif Ali Khan. Note: The adverbs or phrases, which interrupt the sentence and come in the sentence, are separated by “commas”. They are separated by “commas” because they represent the pause of the speech.

He, of course, can’t do this work. 1, by God, did not want to cheat you.

We, however, wanted to contact you but couldn’t. We, unexpectedly, saw them on the way. He, unwillingly, went with them. Indeed, I was happy. I was happy. He is, believe it, a nice person. 1, unfortunately, can’t come now.

I, anyhow, missed this chance.

They, surprisingly, won the lost match. He, unfortunately, was absent on Friday.

Note: If a sentence is introduced by an adverb or phrase, “comma” usually comes after the adverb or the phrase because the same “comma” represents the pause of the speech.

Then, at last, they accepted our demands. However, we convinced him at last. Well, what do you say about this plan? Because of working hard, he passed the exam. By dint of day and night struggle, they got freedom. Of course, he can’t do this work.

By God, I did not want to cheat you. Unfortunately, I can’t come now.

Note: If there are two or more two non-defining adjective clauses in a sentence, a “comma” usually comes at the beginning of the first, and a “comma” comes at the end of the last non-defining adjective clause.

Mr. M. Asif Ali, who is a young businessman who has recently started a business, has bought this building. Mr. M. Adil, who is a professor in our class in charge, teaches us English.

The Eagle Institute, which is the biggest institution of its kind in America that enables students to speak English in only ten months, has announced some more packages.

Note: If there are more than two noun clauses in a sentence, “comma” comes after each.

I don’t know who they fought with, where they fought, why they fought. Note: “Commas” come before and after non-defining adjective clauses.

M. Aslam, who is driving the black Toyota, is driving a non-defining adjective clause (Because the noun is already clear, it is only giving extra information about it.) Mrs.

Nadeem, who is in charge of the club, is an honest woman.

non-defining adjective clause (Because the noun is already clear by its

name, it is merely giving extra information about the noun.)

Note: “Commas” come before and after non-defining adjective phrases.

M. Aslam, in the black Toyota, is driving carefully.

non-defining adjective phrase Mrs Nadeem, in charge of the club, is an honest woman.

Note: If there are more than one or two defining adjective clauses in a sentence, a comma separates defining adjective clauses.

Note: Defining adjective clauses are separated from one another by “commas”; they are separated from the independent clause which they are defining.

The persons who had information, who had money, who had sources bought the important places.

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