Sentence Fragments

							Commas
                 What are commas?
Commas (,) are punctuation marks that separate
  words and word groups to help readers
  understand a sentence. Commas are used

   to separate three or more items in a series:

I am wearing a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
   to separate a compound sentence: two sentences
    joined by and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet:

I am tired every morning, but coffee wakes me up.



    to set off introductory words and dependent
    clauses:

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to go to your party.
If I am correct, we won’t arrive until 7.
   to set off appositives and interrupters:

An appositive is a phrase that renames a noun.
Marta Lopez, the president of our company, will
 speak at the meeting. [The underlined words
 rename Marta Lopez.]

An interrupter is a word or word group that
  interrupts a sentence but does not affect the
  meaning of the sentence.
Tim, by the way, isn’t my husband. [The
  underlined words interrupt the sentence.]
   to set off adjective clauses that can be taken out
    of a sentence without completely changing the
    meaning. (Adjective clauses begin with who,
    which, or that.)

The Lius, who used to live in that house, moved
  to New Jersey.

Do not use commas to set off adjective clauses
 essential to the meaning of a sentence.

Children who see their parents read are more
  likely to want to read themselves.
1. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.

A) Pete, when you go to the store, please buy
     carrots, tea, and coffee filters.
B) Pete, when you go to the store, please buy
     carrots, tea and coffee filters.
C) Pete when you go to the store, please buy
     carrots, tea, and coffee filters.
D) none of the above
1. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) Pete, when you go to the store, please
     buy carrots, tea, and coffee filters.
B) Pete, when you go to the store, please buy
     carrots, tea and coffee filters.
C) Pete when you go to the store, please buy
     carrots, tea, and coffee filters.
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.

A) At the club the band played rock pop,
     hip-hop and salsa.
B) At the club the band played rock, pop
     hip-hop and salsa.
C) At the club, the band played rock, pop,
     hip-hop, and salsa.
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) At the club the band played rock pop,
     hip-hop and salsa.
B) At the club the band played rock, pop
     hip-hop and salsa.
C) At the club, the band played rock,
     pop, hip-hop, and salsa.
D) none of the above
6. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
A) According to Steve an expert on the
    North Pole there is no Santa Claus.
B) According to Steve, an expert on the
    North Pole, there is no Santa Claus.
C) According to Steve, an expert on the
    North Pole there is no Santa Claus.
D) none of the above
6. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) According to Steve an expert on the
    North Pole there is no Santa Claus.
B) According to Steve, an expert on the
    North Pole, there is no Santa Claus.
C) According to Steve, an expert on the
    North Pole there is no Santa Claus.
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
A) Often, people, who get little sleep, make mistakes, have
  accidents, and have low energy.
B) Often, people who get little sleep, make mistakes, have
  accidents, and have low energy.
C) Often, people who get little sleep make mistakes, have
  accidents, and have low energy.
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) Often, people, who get little sleep, make mistakes, have
  accidents, and have low energy.
B) Often, people who get little sleep, make mistakes, have
  accidents, and have low energy.
C) Often, people who get little sleep make mistakes,
  have accidents, and have low energy.
D) none of the above
8. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
A) Those who drive recklessly increase their
    risks of tickets arrests and accidents.
B) Those, who drive recklessly, increase their
    risks of tickets arrests and accidents.
C) Those who drive recklessly increase, their
    risks of tickets, arrests, and accidents.
D) none of the above
8. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) Those who drive recklessly increase their risks
     of tickets arrests and accidents.
B) Those, who drive recklessly, increase their risks
     of tickets arrests and accidents.
C) Those who drive recklessly increase, their risks
     of tickets, arrests, and accidents.
D) none of the above; the revision should be
      Those who drive recklessly increase their
      risks of tickets, arrests, and accidents.
12. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.

A) Yes we have pizzas, subs, and calzones
    but we don’t make deliveries.
B) Yes, we have pizzas, subs, and calzones,
    but we don’t make deliveries.
C) Yes, we have pizzas, subs, and calzones,
    but, we don’t make deliveries.
D) none of the above
12. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) Yes we have pizzas, subs, and calzones but we
     don’t make deliveries.
B) Yes, we have pizzas, subs, and calzones,
     but we don’t make deliveries.
C) Yes, we have pizzas, subs, and calzones, but, we
     don’t make deliveries.
D) none of the above
15. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
A) I love cookies ice cream and cake, but
      they all make me gain weight.
B) I love cookies, ice cream, and cake, but
      they all make me gain weight.
C) I love cookies, ice cream, and cake but
      they all make me gain weight.
D) none of the above
15. Choose the sentence that has no
     comma errors.
ANSWER:
A) I love cookies ice cream and cake, but
      they all make me gain weight.
B) I love cookies, ice cream, and cake,
      but they all make me gain weight.
C) I love cookies, ice cream, and cake but
      they all make me gain weight.
D) none of the above