Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007
12 Commas - The comma separates
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech
Definition: The word ’comma’ has come to us through Latin, from the Greek komma meaning ’a piece cut out’, i.e. separated. In this case, the comma separates groups of words.
Before learning about commas, students should:
• know the form of simple sentences
• know the correct punctuation for kinds of sentences
• have the ability to use both of the above in writing
There are several uses of the comma that students should now learn and practise. Also shown below are one or two that could be studied in more detail later. Knowing the functions of the comma is essential, not just for reading and writing well, but for accuracy and avoiding ambiguity.
With the introduction of the holistic approach to writing, many educationists adopted the attitude that ’such things as spelling and punctuation were of less importance than a total impression of its quality’. The results of this phase in educational history are now reflected in some of the poor standards and misleading written information that we see today. With sound early instruction, accurate and meaningful writing should result.
The presence or absence of a comma can totally alter the meaning of a sentence, and a comma put in the wrong place can result in misunderstanding and embarrassment.
Choose an appropriate time to point this out, using examples such as the following:
The car rolled about 100 metres from the corner.
or The car rolled, about 100 metres from the corner.
The activities at the end of this section not only provide practice in the uses of the comma, but also give opportunities to develop the imagination, expand vocabulary and read with expression.
The comma separates
It does this in several ways.
Items in a list
It marks off items in a list. There is usually no comma preceding the last item, as it is replaced by the word ’and’.
For example:
I emptied my pocket and found a locker key, a 20-cent piece, a Mintie, a small screw and a piece of string.
Sense groups
It separates sense groups. This applies to phrases and clauses. At this stage students will probably not understand these terms, but they can be shown how the comma indicates where we should pause when reading aloud. We may raise our voice a little at the comma, to show that we have not yet reached the end of the sentence. We might use this pause to take a quick breath.
For example:
He slipped into the classroom, just before the bell.
Or to mark off an extra piece of information:
The driver, Mr Cramp, pulled back the gearstick.
When writing, we need to imagine how we would like someone to read what we have written and use commas accordingly.
Sometimes the positioning of commas is extremely important or our sentence could give quite the wrong meaning.
For example:
The man was found, shot dead, by his niece. [intended meaning] or The man was found, shot dead by his niece. [unintended]
And without a comma at all, the sentence is ambiguous.
For a humorous adventure into the world of poor punctuation, we recommend the book Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss.
Direct speech
The comma separates direct speech from the narrative (see also direct speech using inverted commas on page 89.)
For example:
Mother called out, 'Come here at once.’
If the reference to the speaker follows the direct speech, the spoken part usually ends with a comma instead of a full stop.
For example:
'Come here at once,’ called Mother.