Commas
separate items in a series.
words
phrases
clauses
Do not use a comma if all items are joined by and or or.
Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Laurence were present at the ceremony.
Falling in love, getting married, and ending the feud all occurred in less than a week.
Romeo and Juliet had as advisors the nurse and Friar Laurence and Benvolio.
Commas
separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun.
Young, beautiful Juliet married daring, dashing Romeo.
Use
a comma before and, but, or, nor, for,
and yet to separate independent clauses in compound sentences.
Commas
separate participial phrases and adjective clauses that are nonessential.
Commas do not set off phrases or clauses that are essential to the meaning
of the sentence.
Juliet, who is a Capulet, married her Montague enemy.
Awakened by the lark, Juliet wished it to be a nightingale.
Commas
follow participial phrases, adverb clauses, words such as well, yes,
no,
and names of direct address that begin sentences.
When Romeo and Juliet first met, they spoke in sonnet form.
Having learned that Romeo killed Tybalt, the Prince Excalus banished the young Montague.
Yes, the story is a tragedy.
Use
commas to enclose interrupters.|
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most appositives and appositive phrases | |
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titles and degrees after a name | |
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words in direct address | |
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Do not use commas if the appositive is used for emphasis or identifies the person or thing by telling which one of two or more. |
Verona, the setting for the play, is in Italy.
Go, Juliet, to Friar Laurence's cell.
Mark Ferguson, Ph.D., is pursuing a new career in the literary field.
Commas
separate a quotation from its source, such as "he said" or "she
said."
When he first saw West Side Story, Juan said, "This story is similar to Romeo and Juliet."
Commas
are used in certain conventional situations.
items in dates or addresses
after the salutation of a friendly letter and closing of any letter
May 23, 1980, is her birthday.
Memphis, Tennessee, is his hometown.
Dear Romeo,
Love, Juliet